16 Rodolfo Vicentini, ‘BNegão diz que teve show censurado: “Estão tentando transformar em um Estado policial’. 31 July 2019, <https://entretenimento.uol.com.br/noticias/redacao/2019/07/31/bnegao-diz-que-teveshow-censurado-estao-tentando-transformar-em-um-estado-policial.htm> [accessed 07 July 2020] 17 Rondoniaovivo, ‘PM usa gás de pimenta e bala de borracha para dispersar foliões no carnaval’, 25 Febuary 2020, <http://rondoniaovivo.com/policia/noticia/2020/02/25/veja-o-video-pm-usa-gas-de-pimenta-e-bala-deborracha-para-dispersar-folioes-no-carnaval.html> [accessed 09 March 2020] 18 Washington Times, ‘Rio party ahead of Carnival ends in chaos’, 12 January 2020, <https://www. washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jan/12/rio-de-janeiro-police-storm-celebration-tear-gas/> [accessed 09 March 2020] 19 A third category, ‘body worn’ electric shock weapons are used by law enforcement officials in several countries but not in Brazil. Body-worn electric shock weapons are designed to be attached directly to a person’s body and can be activated by remote control. This form of electric shock equipment comes in a variety of forms including, stun belts, stun vests and stun cuffs. In the case of stun belts, the device delivers an electric shock via electrodes placed near the wearer’s kidneys, resulting in severe pain for the duration of the shock and causing muscles to contract involuntarily, rendering the subject immobile. Other physical effects can include muscular weakness, involuntary urination and defecation, heartbeat irregularities, seizures and welts on the skin. These devices cause emotional distress even if they are not activated, as they are worn, sometimes for many hours at a time, without the wearer knowing when or if they will be activated. Like direct contact electric shock weapons, body-worn electric shock devices are inherently abusive and do not serve a legitimate law enforcement purpose which cannot be effectively accomplished with safer alternatives. The use of stun belts has been condemned by several bodies including the UN Committee Against Torture and the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT). Given their inherently abusive nature, the manufacture and use of body-worn electric shock weapons should be strictly prohibited. Although Omega is not aware of any instances of body-worn electric shock weapons being used by law enforcement officials in Brazil, Omega has found evidence of their promotion by a Brazilian company (see import and distribution section below). 20 The brand name Taser is often used as a generic name for this weapon category. Alternative names for such weapons include Electronic Control Device (ECD), Electronic Control Weapon (ECW), Conducted Energy Device (CED) and Electrical Discharge Weapon (EDW). 21 Other injuries arising from the use of projectile electric shock weapons include, burns, puncture wounds, scars and welts. 22 UN Committee against Torture, ‘Concluding observations on the sixth periodic report of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. UN doc. CAT/C/GBR/CO/6’, 7 June 2019, para. 29. 23 UN Committee against Torture, Concluding observations on the fifth periodic report of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, UN doc. CAT/C/GBR/CO/5, 24 June 2013, para. 26. 24 Many projectile electric shock weapons can also be used as a direct contact electric shock weapons when used in ‘drive stun’ mode. The UN Committee against Torture has previous stated that the use of drive-stun mode should be prohibited. UN Committee against Torture, note 24, para. 29. 25 OHCHR, note 9, para. 7.4.12. 26 MEPCT/RJ, ‘Presídios com Nome de Escola* Inspeções e Análises sobre o Sistema Socioeducativo do Rio de Janeiro’, January 2017, <https://elasexistem.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/relatc3b3rio-temc3a1tico-2017presc3addios-com-nome-de-escola_-inspec3a7c3b5es-e-anc3a1lises-sobre-o-sistema-socioeducativo-do-rio-dejaneiro.pdf> p. 88-89 27 O Popular, ‘Vídeos mostram presos sendo torturados até com arma de choque em presídios de Goiás’, 29 November 2017, <https://www.opopular.com.br/noticias/cidades/v%C3%ADdeos-mostram-presos-sendo-torturados-at%C3%A9com-arma-de-choque-em-pres%C3%ADdios-de-goi%C3%A1s-1.1405885> [accessed 03 July 2020] 28 G1, ‘Vídeo mostra guarda usando pistola de choque contra aluno em Campinas’ 18 October 2016, <http:// g1.globo.com/sp/campinas-regiao/noticia/2016/10/video-mostra-estudante-atingido-por-pistola-de-choque-emcampinas-sp.html> [accessed 03 July 2020] 29 Omega Research Foundation and Amnesty International, ‘Human Rights Impact of Less-Lethal Weapons’, 2015, <https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/ACT3013052015ENGLISH.PDF > 30 MNPCT, ‘Relatório de Missão ao Estado do Ceará’, 2019, <https://apublica.org/wp-content/ uploads/2019/04/relatario-missa-o-ceara-protegido-sem-isbn-1.pdf>, pp. 41-42 31 Fernanda Borges, ‘Sequência de fotos mostra que cassetete de PM quebrou ao atingir rosto de estudante em Goiânia; veja’ 29 April 2017, <https://g1.globo.com/goias/noticia/sequencia-de-fotos-mostra-que-cassetete-depm-quebrou-ao-atingir-cabeca-de-estudante-em-goiania-veja.ghtml> [accessed 05 July] 32 “Polícia conclui que Caso Itambé foi homicídio”, 02 June 2017, Folha PE, <https://www.folhape.com. br/noticias/noticias/investigacao/2017/06/02/NWS,29761,70,622,NOTICIAS,2190-POLICIA-CONCLUI-QUE-CASOITAMBE-FOI-HOMICIDIO.aspx> [accessed 10 October 2019] 33 Paula Paiva Paulo, ‘Jovem de 16 anos é atingida no olho por bala de borracha em dispersão de baile funk na Zona Leste de SP’, 11 December 2019, <https://g1.globo.com/sp/sao-paulo/noticia/2019/11/12/jovem-de-16anos-e-atingida-no-olho-por-bala-de-borracha-em-dispersao-de-baile-funk-na-zona-leste-de-sp.ghtml> [accessed 03 July 2020] 34 Roelton Maciel, ‘Vídeo: tortura é registrada por câmeras de segurança no presídio de Joinville,’ Anotícia, 02 February 2013, <http://anoticia.clicrbs.com.br/sc/seguranca/noticia/2013/02/video-tortura-e-registradaporcamerasde-seguranca-no-presidio-de-joinville-4032160.html> [accessed 14 September 2019] 72  35 MNPCT, note 15, paras. 537-538 36 The Nelson Mandela Rules, provide guidance on the appropriate use of instruments of restraint. Of particular note, is Rule 43 of which states that “instruments of restraint shall never be applied as a sanction for disciplinary offences”. 37 MEPCT/RJ, ‘Presídios Com Nome De Escola*Inspeções E Análises Sobre O Sistema Socio Educativo Do Rio De Janeiro’, 2018, p. 82. 38 Omega Research Foundation and Conselho Nacional de Justiça, ‘Manual de Algemas e Outros Instrumentos de Contenção em Audiências Judiciai’, 2020, <https://www.cnj.jus.br/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Manual_de_ algemas-web.pdf> 39 MNCPT, note 15, para. 536 40 MEPCT/RJ, note 40, p. 86 41 MEPCT/RJ, ‘Presídios Com Nome De Escola*Inspeções E Análises Sobre O Sistema Socio Educativo Do Rio De Janeiro’, 2017 42 MEPCT/RJ, ‘Sistema em Colapso: Atenção a Saúde e Política Prisional no Estado do Rio de Janeiro’, 2018, p. 118-119 43 The issue of civilian firearm ownership is widely debated in Brazil, however, this report is limited to considering the use of firearms by law enforcement officials. 44 United Nations, note 4. 45 ICRC, note 6, p.7 46 Azam Ahmed, ‘Where the Police Wear Masks, and the Bodies Pile Up Fast’, New York Times, 20 December 2019, <https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/20/world/americas/brazil-police-shootings-murder.html> [accessed 03 March 2020] 47 Marco Grillo e Paula Ferreira, ‘Mortes pela polícia crescem 26% no país durante pandemia de Covid-19’, O Globo Brasil, 28 June 2020, <https://oglobo.globo.com/brasil/mortes-pela-policia-crescem-26-no-pais-durantepandemia-de-covid-19-1-24503733> [accessed 05 July 2020] 48 Dom Phillips, ‘Jair Bolsonaro says criminals will ‘die like cockroaches’ under proposed new laws’, Guardian, 06 August 2019, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/06/jair-bolosonaro-says-criminals-will-die-likecockroaches-under-proposed-new-laws [accessed 04 December 2019] 49 Dom Philips, ‘They have free rein’: Rio residents fear police violence under far-right rule, 17 May 2020, ’<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/17/free-rein-rio-residents-police-violence-far-right-rule> [accessed 05 July 2020]. The Supreme Court has recently restricted the use of helicopters in police operations in Rio de Janeiro, stating “It is impossible to imagine situations in which the use of helicopters for shooting [firearms], so-called ‘onboard shooting’, can be authorized”. 50 Janaina Garcia and Gabriela Fujita, ‘Nove em cada dez presos no Carandiru foram mortos com tiros na cabeça, diz MP’ UOL, 02 August 2013, <https://noticias.uol.com.br/cotidiano/ultimas-noticias/2013/08/02/noveem-cada-dez-presos-no-carandiru-foram-mortos-com-tiros-na-cabeca-diz-mp.htm?cmpid=copiaecola>, G1, Veja quem são os 7 presos que fugiram do presídio em Ariquemes, RO, 04 August 2020, < https://g1.globo.com/ro/ rondonia/noticia/2020/08/04/veja-quem-sao-os-7-presos-que-fugiram-do-presidio-em-ariquemes-ro.ghtml> 51 Julia Angwin and Abbie Nehring., “‘Hotter Than Lava” ProPublica, January 12, 2015 <https://www. propublica.org/article/flashbangs> 52 OHCHR, note 9, para. 6.1.4. 53 Gabriela Vieira, ‘Jovem atingido por bomba durante protesto perde a visão’, Estado, 10 September 2013, https://www.estadao.com.br/noticias/geral,jovem-atingido-por-bomba-durante-protesto-perde-a-visao,1073293 54 José Eduardo Bernardes, ‘”Parece guerra, mas só um lado está armado”, diz ferida por bomba da polícia em 2016’, Brasil de Fato, 07 June 2017, <https://www.brasildefato.com.br/2017/06/07/parece-guerra-mas-so-umlado-esta-armado-diz-ferida-por-bomba-da-policia-em-2016/> [accessed 05 July 2020] 55 Guilherme Kepler, ‘Carnaval de rua termina com confusão e uso de bombas de gás para dispersar multidão na Cidade Baixa’, 23 February 2020, <https://guaiba.com.br/2020/02/23/carnaval-de-rua-termina-com-confusao-euso-de-bombas-de-gas-para-dispersar-multidao-na-cidade-baixa/> [accessed 05 July 2020] 56 Ana Luiza Albuquerque E Diego Garcia, Polícia acaba com blocos secretos no Rio com bombas e correria, 25 February 2020, <https://gauchazh.clicrbs.com.br/geral/noticia/2020/02/policia-acaba-com-blocos-secretos-norio-com-bombas-e-correria-ck71xyiif00pd01nzai3xtwxb.html> [accessed 05 July 2020] 57 Ibid. 58 United Nations, note 4. 59 OHCHR, note 9. 60 Ministro de Estado da Justiça e o Ministro de Estado Chefe da Secretaria de Direitos Humanos da Presidência da República, ‘Portaria Interministerial No- 4.226, de 31 de Dezembro de 2010’, 31 December 2010, <https://www.conjur.com.br/dl/integra-portaria-ministerial.pdf> [accessed 11 November 2020] 61 Presidência da República, ‘Lei Nº 13.060, de 22 de Dezembro de 2014’, 22 December 2014, <http://www. planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_ato2011-2014/2014/lei/l13060.htm> [accessed 11 November 2020] 62 OHCHR, ‘Report of the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment of punishment - Mission to Brazil (A/HRC/31/57/Add.4)’, 29 January 2016, Recommendation (m) <https://ap.ohchr. org/documents/dpage_e.aspx?si=A/HRC/31/57/Add.4> [accessed 11 November 2020] 63 Conselho Nacional Dos Direitos Humanos, ‘Recomendação Nº 12, de 16 de Outubro de 2020’, 16 October 73