UN human rights experts have urgently called for a comprehensive investigation into Brazil's most lethal police operation to date, which resulted in at least 120 deaths during a raid in a Rio de Janeiro favela last week. The operation, known as "Operação Contenção," aimed at dismantling gang influence and drug trafficking, has sparked international outrage due to its "disturbing pattern" of excessive force.

The experts stressed the necessity for Brazilian authorities to cease any further operations that could lead to excessive use of force. They also emphasized the importance of protecting witnesses and community members, ensuring evidence preservation, and conducting independent forensic examinations in alignment with international human rights standards.

The operation's significant death toll, particularly impacting residents of African descent in the Alemão and Penha complexes, has raised profound concerns about racially targeted police brutality. Reports from the scene described unwarranted home raids, the use of aerial drones and helicopters to launch projectiles, and indications of summary executions, including instances where victims were found with their hands bound or with gunshot wounds to the back of the head.

These severe allegations of extrajudicial killings, which violate Article 5 of the Brazilian Constitution, come amidst additional reports of threats against victims' families and activists by state authorities. This recent police action underscores ongoing criticisms of Brazil's security policies, which routinely endorse the use of excessive force against civilians.

A UN report highlighted the discriminatory treatment of communities of African descent in Brazil, often stereotypically viewed as criminals, with a police culture steeped in toxic masculinity that exacerbates the focus on these communities.

Statistics from 2024 reveal a troubling pattern, with police implicated in 703 deaths, 86 percent of whom were of African descent. Advocates argue that the threat posed by organized crime does not justify a pattern of police violence that systematically dehumanizes its victims, treating them as mere collateral damage.

Furthermore, the pervasive issue of racial profiling in these operations, which annually result in over 6000 deaths under the guise of maintaining public order, raises additional concerns. Such practices solidify deep-rooted stereotypes and power dynamics reminiscent of colonial times.

Global human rights instruments like Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and Article 16 of the Convention against Torture explicitly prohibit police violence, underscoring the international legal framework against such abuses.

The calls for a swift and transparent investigation into this deadly raid reflect a broader demand for a fundamental overhaul of policing methods in Brazil, aiming to realign them with international human rights obligations and restore justice to the affected communities.