June 16, 2022
Amnesty International is deeply saddened by the news of the killing of Bruno Pereira and Dom Phillips. We join their families, their partners Beatriz and Alessandra, and the members of the Observatório dos Povos Indígenas (OPI) and the União dos Povos Indígenas do Vale do Javari (UNIVAJA) in solidarity over the deaths of the British journalist and the Brazilian expert on Indigenous Peoples.
The murders of Bruno Pereira and Dom Phillips are unacceptable, but they are not isolated cases in Brazil. Amnesty International will continue to investigate and demand clarity over the circumstances surrounding the disappearance and murder of these defenders of human rights and the Amazon, as well as accountability for all those involved in this crime. The Amazon must be a safe place for all people. Amnesty International demands protection and freedom in the defense of the rights of Indigenous Peoples and the right to press freedom throughout Brazil.
Amnesty International demands justice for Bruno and Dom … President Jair Bolsonaro’s government cannot turn a blind eye to the crimes occurring in the Amazon, nor be complicit in them. All possible measures must be urgently taken to put an end to this cycle of violence in the Amazon. Who protects those who defend the rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Amazon? It is the Brazilian state that has this duty.”
Jurema Werneck, Executive Director of Amnesty International Brazil
“Brazil is one of the world’s most lethal countries for human rights defenders and environmentalists, and this reality is the consequence of a policy that promotes attacks on environmental legislation, dismantles institutions for the promotion and protection of the rights of Indigenous Peoples, and criminalizes social movements and community organizations,” said Jurema Werneck, executive director of Amnesty International Brazil.
“Amnesty International demands justice for Bruno and Dom. Their families must have access to truth and reparations. Brazilian society needs to see an end to impunity and the absence of public policies that promote and guarantee rights. President Jair Bolsonaro’s government cannot turn a blind eye to the crimes occurring in the Amazon, nor be complicit in them. All possible measures must be urgently taken to put an end to this cycle of violence in the Amazon. Who protects those who defend the rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Amazon? It is the Brazilian state that has this duty.”
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Duncan Tucker (Amnesty International Americas: +52 55 4848 8266, duncan.tucker@amnesty.org
Matheus Vieira (Amnesty International Brazil): +55 (21) 99730-3617, imprensa@anistia.org.br
Read more:
Brazil: Authorities must guarantee transparency and respect for human rights in search for Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira (June 15, 2022)
Brazil: Authorities must not waste another second in search for Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira (June 8, 2022)
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact Duncan Tucker: +52 55 4848 8266, duncan.tucker@amnesty.org
