Brazil: 55 human rights defenders killed in two years, says study
At least 55 people working to defend human rights in Brazil were murdered in 2023 and 2024, according to the study Na Linha de Frente (On the Front Line), released Monday (Aug. 11) by the organizations Justiça Global and Terra de Direitos.
In addition to the murders, the study recorded 96 attacks, 175 threats, and 120 episodes of criminalization. In total, 486 cases of violence were identified—298 in 2023 and 188 in 2024.
“In producing this second edition, we realized that violence against defenders persists. It is not enough for just one sphere of government—such as the federal executive branch—to act in defense of human rights,” said Terra de Direitos coordinator Darci Frigo at the study’s launch.
He notes that, according to the survey, regional and local political forces often act to block these advances, resorting to judicial criminalization or violence.
One example of this violence was the murder of Maria Bernadete Pacífico, killed in her home in the quilombo community of Pitanga dos Palmares, in Bahia state.
One case every 36 hours
The study highlights that, despite a reduction in total cases in 2024, violence against human rights defenders in Brazil still occurs once every 36 hours.
The researchers warn that 80.9 percent of the cases recorded over these two years targeted those working in environmental and territorial defense—accounting for 87 percent of the murders.
Military police officers were accused in 45 incidents of perpetrating violence, including at least five deaths. Firearms were used in 78.2 percent of these crimes.
Among the 55 murders, 78 percent of the victims were cisgender men, 36.4 percent were black, and 34.5% were indigenous. The study identified 12 murders of women human rights defenders, two of whom were transgender.
Host of COP30 in November this year, the state of Pará leads the national ranking of violence against human rights defenders, with 103 cases recorded over two years. Of these, 94 percent involved people working to defend the environment and territories.
Paths
Sandra Carvalho, co-founder and coordinator of the Program for the Protection of Human Rights and Democracy Defenders at Justiça Global, believes it is important for Brazil to strengthen its public protection policy by institutionalizing a national system.
“Above all, [it is important to] advance investigations and hold accountable those who commit crimes such as threats, homicides, and attacks, among others, confronting the serious problem of impunity,” she says.
Faced with persistent violence, the organizations recommend coordinated actions among government branches, states, and municipalities. The study urges the Brazilian government to fully comply with the Escazú Agreement, an international treaty ensuring access to information, public participation, and the protection of environmental defenders in Latin America and the Caribbean.
