UN rights office urges probe into deadly police operation in Rio de Janeiro May 08, 2021
A sprawling favela along the hillside in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (file photo) courtesy UNICEF/Giacomo Pirozzi
GENEVA The UN s human rights office (OHCHR) on Friday called for an independent, thorough and impartial investigation into a major police operation in a favela in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, in which at least 25 were reportedly killed, including a police officer.
The operation started in the early hours of Thursday when police officers on the ground and in helicopters overhead opened fire across the Jacarezinho neighborhood in a operation allegedly aimed at suspected drug traffickers.
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OHCHR
We are deeply disturbed by the killing of at least 25 people in a police operation in the Jacarezinho neighbourhood of Rio de Janeiro yesterday (6 May).
The incident started in the early hours of Thursday when, reportedly, police officers on the ground and in a helicopter overhead opened fire into the neighbourhood – in an operation allegedly aimed at members of a criminal organization. At least 25 people, including one police officer, were reported killed during the operation. The precise number of people injured, including bystanders and people inside their houses, is still unknown.
This appears to have been the deadliest such operation in more than a decade in Rio de Janeiro, and furthers a long-standing trend of unnecessary and disproportionate use of force by police in Brazil’s poor, marginalized and predominantly Afro-Brazilian neighbourhoods, known as favelas.
The United Nations
The United Nations human rights office (OHCHR) on Friday called for an independent, thorough and impartial investigation into a police operation in the favelas in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, in which at least 25 persons, including a police officer, were killed.
The operation started in the early hours of Thursday (local time) when, reportedly, police officers on the ground and in a helicopter overhead opened fire into the Jacarezinho neighbourhood – in an operation allegedly aimed at members of a criminal organization, according to the Office.
In addition to the deaths, an unknown number of people, including bystanders and those inside their homes, were also wounded.
The operation started in the early hours of Thursday when police officers on the ground and in helicopters overhead opened fire across the Jacarezinho neighbourhood – in a operation allegedly aimed at suspected drug traffickers.
In addition to the deaths, an unknown number of people, including bystanders and those inside their homes, were also wounded.
‘Deadliest operation’ in over a decade
OHCHR spokesperson Rupert Colville said that the incident appeared to have been the “deadliest such operation in more than a decade” in Rio de Janeiro.
“[It] furthers a long-standing trend of unnecessary and disproportionate use of force by police in Brazil’s poor, marginalized and predominantly Afro-Brazilian neighbourhoods, known as favelas.”