UN Expert to Assess Brazil's Efforts on Dictatorship-Era Justice and Reparations

Bernard Duhaime to Visit Brazil from 30 March to 7 April to Evaluate Truth, Justice, and Reparation Measures.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, Bernard Duhaime, will undertake an official visit to Brazil from 30 March to 7 April 2025, at the invitation of the Brazilian government. His mission is to evaluate national efforts to address the legacy of serious human rights violations committed during the military dictatorship that ruled Brazil from 1964 to 1985.

The visit is part of the UN’s mandate to promote comprehensive and effective responses to past atrocities, including state-led violence, enforced disappearances, torture, and political persecution. In this context, the Special Rapporteur will examine the extent to which Brazil has implemented policies and mechanisms to ensure truth, justice, reparations for victims, public memory, and guarantees that such abuses will not happen again.

Throughout his stay, Duhaime is scheduled to meet with a wide range of stakeholders, including government authorities at the federal and state levels, civil society organisations, human rights defenders, survivors and families of victims, as well as academics and legal experts working in the field of transitional justice.

The Rapporteur will visit three major cities—Brasília, São Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro—where he will conduct fact-finding meetings, site visits, and public events focused on remembrance and justice. These cities were critical hubs of political activity and state repression during the dictatorship era and continue to be centers for contemporary dialogue and activism regarding historical accountability.

The visit comes amid renewed national and international attention to the country’s transitional justice processes. Though Brazil established a National Truth Commission in 2012, advocates have long argued that key aspects of justice, such as criminal accountability for perpetrators and adequate reparations for victims, remain insufficient. The Rapporteur will pay particular attention to the implementation of the Commission’s recommendations and ongoing institutional efforts to preserve historical memory and support survivors.

To conclude his visit, Bernard Duhaime will hold a press conference on 7 April 2025 at 10:30 a.m. local time at the UN Information Centre (UNIC Rio), located in the Itamaraty Palace (Av. Mal. Floriano, 196), Rio de Janeiro. The event will be held in a hybrid format, both in person and online. Attendance is restricted to accredited journalists, and prior RSVP is required by 4 April at 12:00 local time via email to unic-riodejaneiro@un.org.

Following his visit, the Special Rapporteur will present a comprehensive report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva in September 2025, which will include findings, observations, and recommendations to support Brazil in strengthening its approach to transitional justice.

This country visit marks an important step in assessing Brazil’s commitment to confronting its authoritarian past and ensuring a future grounded in truth, justice, and human rights for all.