Brazil under international scrutiny
UN and IACHR condemn abusive use of force at protests in Brasília and during police operations in São Paulo and Pará
The IACHR (Inter-American Commission on Human Rights) and the Regional Office for South America of the OHCHR (Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights) published a joint statement on Friday, May 26, in which they condemned the excessive use of force by the Brazilian authorities and the recent string of human rights violations.
The statement by the two organizations mentions the heavy police repression of protests in Brasília, with the use of pepper spray, tear gas and rubber bullets. Seven people were arrested and 49 wounded – at least one with a firearm.
On the same day, a presidential decree authorized the Armed Forces to guarantee the security of Brasília until May 31 – a measure that was harshly criticized by civil society, including by Conectas, which described it as “alarming”. “The argument used in the decree that the Armed Forces are needed to guarantee ‘law and order’ is reminiscent of darker times in Brazilian history,” said Conectas in the statement. Giving in to pressure, President Temer repealed the decree the day after its publication.
Amerigo Incalcaterra, the Regional Representative of the OHCHR for South America, said that peaceful demonstration is a form of participation in democratic societies, in which people can demand their rights and exercise their freedom of opinion and expression. “We urge the Brazilian State to redouble its efforts to promote dialogue and protect the right to peaceful demonstration,” said Incalcaterra.
According to the IACHR rapporteur for Brazil, James Cavallaro, the government should comply with its international human rights obligations, including by “guaranteeing the right to demonstrate and adopting public policies that prioritize respect and the right to life, personal integrity and other fundamental rights”. “We want to guarantee human rights during a very delicate situation in Brazil right now”.
In the statement, Cavallaro mentioned his personal interest in organizing a visit to the country as IACHR rapporteur for Brazil.
Cracolândia and land conflicts
The statement by the IACHR and the OHCHR also expressed concern over the excessive use of force by the police in operations involving both land conflicts and the urban removal of addicts of illegal drugs. The statement refers to the violent eviction carried out by the civil and military police at a farm in the state of Pará that resulted in the death of 10 people and the actions of the São Paulo municipal and state governments to remove drug addicts from the region of downtown São Paulo known as Cracolândia (Crackland).
“The Inter-American Commission and the Regional Office for South America of the OHCHR urged the Brazilian State to regulate police procedures that involve the use of force, respecting international human rights standards and observing the principles of legality, necessity and proportionality that should govern the use of force by State security agents,” reads the statement.
“The joint statement by two of the most important international bodies for the protection of human rights is a clear sign that the situation in Brazil is very critical and that there will be a close scrutiny of the government’s acts and omissions,” said Juana Kweitel, executive director of Conectas Human Rights. “Given the intensification of the protests, caused by the severe crisis and political instability, violent acts against citizens will not go unnoticed. The international community is watching Brazil,” she added.
