Mark Connally

1.

In Brazil, mainly in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, there has been an ongoing problem of police brutality. They say it is done to lower crime in areas where it is booming, meaning the criminals get the brunt on the brutality. This however isn’t the case; there were also many reports of middle and upper class people getting hit by human rights violations. As this kept going on a group called Americas Watch was trying to figure how to enforce policies to limit this problem.

An American human rights organization, Americas Watch, reports that in Brazil "Torture is Widespread," and "deadly force is also used indiscriminately and carelessly." Public apathy for continued killings is one of the main reasons for the ongoing police brutality. The police responsible for these beatings and killing are prosecuted, but most of the time the information is obstructed and these incidents are covered up. In their time of transition to a democratic civilian government the issue of human rights has once again risen. The governments in Brazil have committed to fighting these violations, but failed to exercise their control. The effects of torture are used to provoke confessions, and direct specific cases the way they want them to go. If the advice of Americas Watch is taken, the offenders of violating human rights will be faced with dismissal instead of minor punishment.