IACHR strongly condemns police raid that left 121 people dead in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

October 31, 2025

Washington, D.C. – The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) strongly condemns the extremely high number of deaths recorded in the context of the police operation “Operação de Contenção” in the Complexo da Penha, Rio de Janeiro. The IACHR urges the State to promptly, diligently, and independently investigate the events, considering the entire chain of command, to sanction those responsible, and to ensure full reparation to the victims and their families.

According to public information, the joint operation conducted by the Civil and Military Police under the constitutional authority of the State of Rio de Janeiro, aimed at capturing members of an organized crime group, resulted in at least 121 people killed and 113 arrested on October 28, 2025, making it the deadliest operation in Brazil’s recent history. Public reports indicate that most of the victims were men; several sustained gunshot wounds to the head and showed other signs suggesting possible extrajudicial executions.

The operation, like the actions of criminal groups, also had a severe impact on daily life, causing restrictions on mobility, suspension of public transportation, school closures, and reduced access to healthcare services, disproportionately affecting Afro-descendant and low-income communities.

The IACHR observes that this joint operation reflects a persistent pattern of police violence in Rio de Janeiro, previously identified in the Favela Nova Brasília case and documented in other states across the country in the report Situation of Human Rights in Brazil and various public statements (181-25; 228-23; 177-23; 120-22 339-21; 117-21; 187-20; 318-19; 103-19). In 2024, Rio de Janeiro’s Civil and Military Police were allegedly involved in the deaths of 703 people, and between January and August 2025, in 470 more. Official data indicate that 86% of the 2024 victims were Afro-descendants. The Commission underscores that these figures reveal a pattern of racial profiling, and the persistence of a security model based on excessive use of force and the criminalization of poverty.

The Commission acknowledges the seriousness of organized crime and its impact on the enjoyment of human rights. However, it expresses concern over the persistence of the “war on crime” paradigm, which dehumanizes victims and has proven ineffective as a public security strategy to reduce violence. In this context, it is urgent that Brazilian authorities, including those at the state level, reformulate their policies against organized crime with a focus on human rights, victim-centered approaches, and social participation, in accordance with inter-American standards.

In this regard, the State highlighted recent initiatives aimed at reducing police lethality and aligning public security policies with international human rights standards. Among these, it referred to the ruling of the Federal Supreme Court known as the “ADPF das Favelas,” which strengthens oversight of police operations and accountability mechanisms. The State also mentioned the proposed Constitutional Amendment on Public Security, presented to the National Congress in April 2025, which seeks to establish general guidelines and enable the creation of independent oversight and ombudsperson offices. Furthermore, it underscored federal policies designed to curb police violence, such as PRONASCI, the Juventude Negra Viva Plan, and the National Project for the Qualification of the Use of Force.

The IACHR recalls that, under the standards of the Inter-American Human Rights System, the State’s use of force must comply with the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality, and accountability. In the Favela Nova Brasília case, the Inter-American Court established the State’s international responsibility for extrajudicial executions and ordered structural measures to ensure non-repetition. Within this framework, the Commission reiterates the need to reform police protocols on the use of force, prioritizing tactics aimed at reducing lethality and protecting life, and to ensure that the Public Prosecutor’s Office directly leads criminal investigations, with independent forensic experts having full access to evidence and procedures.

The Inter-American Commission expresses its solidarity with the families of the victims and offers the State its technical cooperation mechanisms on inter-American standards regarding the use of force, as well as to advance truth, justice, reparation, and non-repetition.

The IACHR is a principal and autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), whose mandate derives from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission is mandated to promote the observance of human rights in the region and acts as an advisory body to the OAS on the matter. The IACHR is composed of seven independent members elected by the OAS General Assembly in their personal capacity and do not represent their countries of origin or residence.

No. 221/25

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