UN Rights Chief Urges Sweeping Police Reform in Brazil After Deadly Rio Raid

Authorities said the raid was aimed at enforcing nearly 100 judicial warrants against alleged members of the Comando Vermelho, one of Brazil’s most powerful organized crime networks.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has called for a comprehensive overhaul of Brazil’s policing practices following the country’s deadliest-ever police operation, which left more than a hundred people dead in Rio de Janeiro.

The operation, conducted on 28 October, took place across the Complexo do Alemão and Complexo da Penha neighbourhoods — sprawling communities long affected by poverty, inequality, and the presence of heavily armed criminal groups. According to official reports, at least 121 people were killed, including four police officers, while 81 suspects were detained.

Authorities said the raid was aimed at enforcing nearly 100 judicial warrants against alleged members of the Comando Vermelho, one of Brazil’s most powerful organized crime networks. However, the staggering death toll has triggered widespread outrage and renewed international scrutiny of police conduct in the country.

“Extreme Lethality Cannot Be Normalized,” Says Türk

“I fully understand the challenges of dealing with violent and well-organized criminal groups such as Comando Vermelho,” Türk said. “However, the long list of operations resulting in so many deaths — disproportionately affecting people of African descent — raises serious questions about how such raids are carried out.”

The UN rights chief noted that high levels of police lethality have become normalized in Brazil, particularly in urban areas such as Rio de Janeiro, where heavily militarized operations frequently result in civilian casualties.

“For decades, the high lethality associated with policing in Brazil has been accepted as routine,” Türk said. “Brazil must break the cycle of extreme brutality and ensure that law enforcement operations comply with international standards on the use of force.”

Call for Independent Investigations and Accountability

Türk urged Brazilian authorities to conduct prompt, independent, and transparent investigations into the events of 28 October, emphasizing that accountability is key to rebuilding public trust and preventing future abuses.

He also called for independent mechanisms to assist families and communities affected by such violence — including access to justice, reparations, and psychological support.

“Reforms are urgently needed to avoid repetition,” he said. “Violations cannot go unpunished. Proper accountability processes must lead to truth and justice to prevent further impunity and violence.”

A Human Rights-Based Approach to Policing

The UN High Commissioner recommended that Brazil adopt a national policing strategy grounded in human rights principles, emphasizing legality, necessity, proportionality, and non-discrimination.

“Lethal force should only ever be used when strictly necessary to protect life or prevent serious injury from an imminent threat,” Türk said. “Excessive or discriminatory use of force undermines public safety and deepens cycles of fear and mistrust.”

He also urged Brazil to prioritize community-based policing, professional training, and social investment in marginalized areas to address the root causes of crime rather than relying solely on repressive tactics.

Confronting Systemic Racism in Law Enforcement

Türk highlighted the need to confront deep-rooted racial inequality in Brazil’s justice and security institutions. According to data from the International Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement (EMLER), around 5,000 people of African descent are killed by police in Brazil each year.

Most victims are young Black men from impoverished communities, reflecting what experts describe as a systemic pattern of racialized violence. EMLER has described the killings as “generalized and systematic,” reinforcing structural racism within law enforcement agencies.

“It is time to end a system that perpetuates racism, discrimination, and injustice,” Türk declared. “Peace and security cannot exist without equality and respect for human rights.”

A Turning Point for Brazil’s Security Policy

Human rights organizations, both domestic and international, have echoed Türk’s concerns, calling for the demilitarization of police forces, stronger civilian oversight, and reforms that prioritize prevention over punitive force.

The Complexo do Alemão operation has reignited national debate about the role of policing in Brazil’s democracy, with many warning that unchecked use of deadly force risks further alienating the very communities most in need of protection.

Türk’s remarks underscore growing international pressure on the Brazilian government to reassess its law enforcement model, which many critics say blurs the line between policing and warfare.

“The cycle of impunity must end,” the UN Human Rights Chief concluded. “Only through truth, justice, and reform can Brazil move toward a system of policing that truly protects all its citizens.”