Brazil :: Condemnation of setbacks
Civil organizations express concern over Brazil’s current political climate and the risks of setbacks
Given the current political upheaval in Brazil, Conectas and partner organizations from the Criminal Justice Network have reiterated their concern over the risks of setbacks to the protection of human rights in the country. In a public statement, the organizations express their condemnation of recent alterations to the institutional and political structure of the Brazilian government, which pose a threat to the guarantees of the democratic state and the rule of law.
In the document, the NGOs are particularly critical about the conservative nature of the current National Congress, which is pursuing initiatives that run counter to the constitutional order and that place substantial obstacles in the way of the realization of fundamental rights and guarantees. “It has surprised us that members of the Legislature are exploiting the political crisis to advance controversial and dangerous legislative proposals, such as the reduction of the age of criminal responsibility and the introduction of longer sentences for young offenders,” reads the document.
Furthermore, the organizations also condemn the decision of the interim government to downgrade the status of the Ministry of Women, Racial Equality and Human Rights, “eliminating its independence and making it directly subordinate to the Ministry of Justice, potentially undermining the continuity of policies for historically marginalized populations”.
As a result of these setbacks, Conectas reiterates its commitment to continue working in the defense and promotion of human rights to build a free, fair and democratic society.
- Click here to read the statement in full.
