Rede Justiça Criminal regrets statute that facilitates gun ownership in Brazil
It is deeply erroneous to think that people will be safer as a result of gun ownership
Rede Justiça Criminal, a group composed of eight non-governmental organisations, including Conectas, the aim of which is to contribute to influencing the debate on important matters concerning the criminal justice system, spoke out on Tuesday, 15 January, about President Jair Bolsonaro’s statute to loosen controls on gun ownership in the country. See the statement below:
Rede Justiça Criminal would like to express its profound concern regarding the loosening of controls on gun ownership in the country, as set out in the statute signed today, 15 January, by President Jair Bolsonaro.
In a country where there were over 62 thousand murders in 2018, 70% of which were committed using firearms, it is deeply erroneous to think that, as alleged by the president, people will be safer as a result of gun ownership. Regrettably, it can be expected that Brazilian society, hostage to a strategic manoeuvre that is an irresponsible, precipitous response to a legitimate call for a safer country, will suffer even more violence.
Investment in public security and recognition of those working in this field would be a more suitable response. The statute compromises the progress achieved since the Statute for Disarmament was passed and it is regrettable that the Federal Government should demonstrate this level of lack of commitment to gun control policy.
Rede Justiça Criminal repudiates this decision and will stay alert to the outcome of this statute and will closely monitor consequences in public security and criminal justice.
