At least two children died and one woman was seriously injured as a result of the police operations in the districts of Rio de Janeiro on September 8th and 9th. Two boys aged 13 and 16 respectively were shot dead. Residents report that police operations are still ongoing.
On the morning of September 8th, Cristian Soares was playing football when a joint police and military force entered the slum, Manguinhos favela, in Rio de Janeiro. Soares, residents of the district, and other children began to flee to safety when a bullet fired by one of the policemen hit the boy. Witnesses claimed that police then tried to remove his body and alter the crime scene. Residents tried to prevent them from doing so but were intimidated by the police officers. Records showed that the police were not wearing any identification during the operation. After the boy’s death, residents in Manguinhos protested and closed the streets.
On the same day, the military police carried out another operation in the Maré favela in the same city. Residents of the district could not leave their homes, some houses lost electricity, and schools had to cancel classes. During the shootings, a 33-year-old woman was shot in the face and is in critical condition in the hospital. On September 9th, the military police returned to the favela. Consequently, a 16-year-old boy was killed and other residents were injured in the shooting. Considering the rather complicated situation, it is difficult to confirm the exact number of civilian casualties. Following the shooting, residents once again are unable leave their homes, and all school activities and classes have been suspended.
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Ensure that law enforcement officials respect the right to life and do not use firearms except to protect against an imminent threat of death or injury as stipulated in the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials.
Calling on the authorities for thorough, prompt and impartial investigations into deaths or serious injuries resulting from the use of police force, ensuring that responsible parties are brought to justice and that victims receive adequate reparations.
Urging them to ensure that the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Rio de Janeiro fulfill its constitutional role of exercising external control on police activity, promoting effective actions to monitor the use of lethal force by the police.
Dear Mr. Governor,
I am writing to you to express my concerns about the ongoing police operations in favelas in Rio de Janeiro, where at least two people were killed on 8 and 9 September.
On 8 September, one bullet hit the 13 year old Cristian Soares and he died immediately. Video evidence shows that police officers were not wearing any kind of identification during the operation.
Another military police operation in the favelas of Maré resulted in long periods of gunfire and shootings. Many people were injured, including a 33-year old woman, and a 16 year old boy was shot dead during the operation.
In view of the above, I ask you to ensure that law enforcement officials respect the right to life and, in particular, do not use firearms except to protect against an imminent threat of death or serious injury, as stipulated in the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials.
Additionally, I call on you to conduct thorough, prompt and impartial investigations into any death or serious injuries that resulted from the use of police force, to ensure that anyone found responsible is brought to justice and that victims receive adequate reparations.
Finally, I urge you to ensure that the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Rio de Janeiro fulfils its constitutional role of exercising external control of police activity, promoting effective actions to monitor the use of lethal force by the police.
Thank you for your attention to my request.
Yours sincerely,
