5 June 2024 marks two years since the disappearance and deaths of indigenist Bruno Pereira and journalist Dom Philips. In the immediate aftermath of the crime, ARTICLE 19 Brazil and South America and partners were instrumental in requesting precautionary measures from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), and the subsequent establishment of a landmark Joint Working Group tasked with monitoring Brazil’s progress in the implementation of the measures.
On the second anniversary of the murder, ARTICLE 19 Brazil and South America and partners present their assessment of Brazil’s progress towards ensuring a thorough investigation into, and accountability for, the murders, and preventing the repeat of similar crimes against rights defenders and communicators.
As our assessment shows, two years on from Dom and Bruno’s deaths, few effective changes have taken place in Brazil. The Joint Working Group’s Action Plan was an important step forward. However, indigenous people, communicators, and human rights defenders in the Javari Valley continue to face the same risks and pressures, without adequate state protection.
The Brazilian government must commit to ongoing dialogue with civil society organisations and listen to the specific demands of rights defenders in the Javari Valley. Only then can we ensure that the circumstances which led to the deaths of Dom and Bruno change, and that such crimes are never repeated.
Read our assessment:
Background
On 7 June 2022, ARTICLE 19 Brazil and South America, together with the Vladimir Herzog Institute, the Regional Alliance for Free Expression and Information, Reporters Without Borders, the Digital Journalism Association, the Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism, the Tornavoz Institute, and the Washington Brazil Office submitted a request for precautionary measures to the IACHR.
In a landmark victory for the petitioning organisations, in 2023 the Commission created a dedicated Joint Working Group, made up of representatives from the government and the petitioning organisations, tasked with monitoring Brazil’s progress in the case – the first initiative of this kind in Brazil.
The Action Plan, launched on 11 December 2023, is focused on three pillars:
- Investigation and accountability for the murders of Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira
- Protection and security for human rights defenders, communicators and environmental activists in the Javari Valley
- Commitment to memory and truth, recognising and promoting the work of journalists and human rights defenders in the Amazon, as vital pillars for protecting rights in any society