The Supreme Federal Court has scheduled a hearing to discuss the large-scale operation that left more than 120 people dead in Rio
Minister Alexandre de Moraes has convened human rights organizations and public bodies to address Operation Containment, carried out in the Penha and Alemão Complexes
STF - Supremo Tribunal Federal (Valter Campanato/Agência Brasil)
Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has scheduled a hearing for next Wednesday (5) at 10am, within the scope of ADPF 635 (ADPF of the Favelas) to discuss the large-scale police operation carried out in Rio de Janeiro at the end of October which resulted in more than 120 deaths.
The meeting will bring together public bodies, civil society organizations, and researchers. Among those invited are: the National Human Rights Council (CNDH), the Rio de Janeiro State Legislative Assembly’s (Alerj) Human Rights and Citizenship Defense Committee, the Anjos da Liberdade Institute, the Human Rights Laboratory at UFRJ (LADIH), and the Human Rights Network Association (DHNet). Conectas will also take part in the hearing in the role of amicus curiae.
In the decision that convened the audience, Moraes also ordered thorough and complete documentation of all evidence relating to the operation, under the oversight of the Public Prosecutor’s Office. The minister has taken temporary responsibility for the rapporteurship of ADPF 635 following the retirement of the previous rapporteur for the case, Justice Luís Roberto Barroso.
Read more
Civil society denounces lethality and attacks on the ADPF of the Favelas
More than 30 human rights organizations, including Conectas, condemned Operation Containment, which took place on Tuesday (29) in the Alemão and Penha Complexes, in the north zone of Rio de Janeiro. The police operation left dozens dead and has been described as the most lethal in the state’s history.
The organizations denounced the state’s disproportionate use of force, the structural racism embedded in its security policy, and the adoption of a war-like doctrine as a public administration model. Furthermore, the organizations say Governor Cláudio Castro has been responsible for four of the five deadliest operations ever recorded in Rio, including the massacres in Vila Cruzeiro (2021) and Jacarezinho (2022).
The statement also rejects the state government’s attempts to blame the ADPF of the Favelas and civil society organizations for the lethality of the operation. During his address, the governor referred to the action and its proponents, attacking police oversight—a role that is assigned to the Public Prosecutor’s Office under the Constitution—and attempting to undermine the work of the organizations that fight for the right to life in the favelas. “This cycle of violence is not an accident: it is the result of a deliberate strategy that prioritizes armed confrontation over any commitment to life and legality,” the organizations state.
What is the ADPF of the Favelas
The Allegation of Non-Compliance with a Fundamental Precept (ADPF) (ADPF) nº 635, known as the ADPF of the Favelas, was filed with the Supreme Federal Court in 2019 by the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB), with the support of organizations, movements and collectives working on addressing police violence in Rio de Janeiro. The action challenges state decrees that regulate public security in Rio de Janeiro and denounces human rights violations committed by police forces.
The following organizations are participating in the action: Conectas, Redes da Maré, Global Justice, Educafro, the Unified Black Movement, the Religious Studies Institute (Iser), Papo Reto Collective, Fala Akari Collective, Marielle Franco Institute, Mothers of Manguinhos, CESeC/Ucam, among others.
The organizations are calling for the adoption of concrete measures to reduce police lethality and guarantee justice for the victims, such as installing cameras on uniforms and patrol cars, banning the use of helicopters as shooting platforms, and strictly controlling operations in areas with schools and health centers.
The history of the action
Since it was proposed in 2019, ADPF 635 has sought to acknowledge the serious violations of fundamental precepts resulting from public security policy in the state of Rio de Janeiro, which has been marked by high levels of police lethality in favelas and peripheral areas. The petition demanded the Rio de Janeiro state put together a plan with objective measures, a timeline and a budget allocation to reduce police lethality and control violations by police officers, within a period of 90 days.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, in June 2020, the STF granted an injunction. It was issued by the rapporteur at the time, Edson Fachin, and upheld by the plenary. It determined that police operations in Rio de Janeiro communities could only take place under absolutely exceptional circumstances, with written justification and notification to the Public Prosecutor’s Office. In April 2025, the Supreme Federal Court issued a collegiate ruling concluding the judgment of ADPF 635, partially granting the requests in the action, approving a plan by the state of Rio de Janeiro to reduce police lethality and establishing guidelines on investigation, transparency, and territorial reoccupation, while at the same time easing some of the restrictions previously placed on police forces.
Despite the rulings, the state of Rio de Janeiro continues to carry out massacres and summary executions, evidence of non-compliance with the Court’s orders. Organizations monitoring the case say the recent large-scale operation, known as Operation Containment, is another incident that disregards the ADPF of the Favelas and underscores the urgent need for an effective plan to reduce police lethality, with the participation of communities and human rights institutions.
