Rio de Janeiro Massacre: Amnesty International Demands Independent Inquiry into Deadliest Police Operation in state History
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – November 4, 2025 – Amnesty International has strongly condemned the recent police operation in the Alemão and Penha favelas of Rio de Janeiro, labeling it a “massacre” and calling for an urgent, independent, and internationally supervised investigation. The operation, dubbed “Operation Containment” and carried out on October 28th, resulted in at least 121 deaths, including four police officers, and is rife with allegations of extrajudicial executions.
“What took place in Rio de Janeiro was not a security operation, it was a massacre,” stated Ana Piquer, Americas director at Amnesty International. “Over a hundred people,most of them black and living in poverty,were killed in an operation planned and carried out by the state itself. The authorities must urgently conduct a prompt, independent and impartial investigation, and request international oversight to ensure its effectiveness.”
The institution cites reports from local organizations and residents detailing disturbing tactics employed during the operation, involving over 2,500 civil and military police officers. These include alleged indiscriminate shooting from helicopters, warrantless raids, and obstruction of medical assistance to the injured. Testimonies suggest numerous bodies exhibited signs consistent with extrajudicial killings, such as shots to the back of the head or bound hands.
International human rights law dictates that lethal force can only be used as a last resort to protect life or prevent serious injury in the face of an imminent threat. Amnesty International argues this threshold was clearly violated.
The condemnation extends to public statements made by Rio de janeiro Governor Cláudio Castro, which Amnesty International claims attempt to legitimize excessive force and impunity. castro’s rhetoric, suggesting the state can “exceed its powers” in the “war on crime,” is seen as a dangerous attempt to shield security forces from accountability for potential human rights violations.
“People in the favelas live under a constant state of alert and threat,” said Jurema Werneck, executive director at Amnesty International Brazil.”Police operations in Brazil have become synonymous with terror, racism and a total lack of protection. there is no possible justification for this lethal use of force. The security forces must protect lives, not destroy them.”
Amnesty International highlights a disturbing pattern of violence, noting that Governor Castro’s administration is responsible for four of the five deadliest operations in the state’s history. This pattern, the organization argues, is rooted in structural racism and discriminatory drug policies. Despite repeated warnings from the United Nations and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights regarding the discriminatory nature of Brazil’s “war on drugs,” the state continues to conduct operations that violate international standards on the use of force.
The organization warns that attempts by Rio de Janeiro authorities to investigate the removal of bodies from the scene may not be sufficient, and further independent scrutiny is crucial.amnesty International is demanding an immediate cessation of this lethal security policy and a commitment to protecting the lives and rights of all residents of Rio de Janeiro’s favelas.
