elderly and pregnant women83. To facilitate medical treatment and public acceptance, the results of these tests should be made publicly available along with any documentation concerning the equipment’s technical specifications, features and use parameters84. Finally, given the diversity of chemical irritant weapons available to law enforcement, it is also essential to ensure that the type of chemical irritant weapon selected is appropriate for use in the operational context for which it is intended. Omega’s records and research carried out for this report has identified a total of seven Brazilian companies involved in the manufacture of some form of chemical irritant and/or associated delivery mechanism. Six companies including RJC Defesa Aeroespacial Ltda, ANL Brasil Aerossois Ltda, ER Do Brasil, Condor, Armaq Industria e Comércio de Aerossóis Ltda, and Poly Defensor manufacture various types of chemical irritant sprays. Most of these sprays are marketed for use by law enforcement officials, but some products manufactured by ER Do Brasil, ANL Brasil Aerossois Ltda, and Poly Defensor are also marketed as self-defence products. Most sprays manufactured by these companies contain chemical agents commonly used in irritant sprays such as OC, or CS. Notably, however, the sprays developed by Poly Defensor are formulated using ingredients such as a ‘ginger extract’ and camphor, which the manufacturer claims, are safer than chemical alternatives. The company also claims that these products have been approved by public bodies after being subjected to testing. However, aside from a technical note containing very little information published by the Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) in 2015, there seems to be a lack of information in the public sphere as to the nature of these tests85. In order to ascertain their effectiveness and safety, therefore, further research and testing of these chemical alternatives should be carried out and the results made publicly available. In total three companies, Indios Pirotecnia Ltda, Condor, and RJC Defesa Aeroespacial manufacture handthrown and/or weapon-fired chemical irritant grenades or projectiles. Alongside its extensive range of chemical irritant devices, Condor also manufacturers 38mm and 40mm launchers designed to fire chemical irritant and other projectiles. 3.1.2 Electric Shock Weapons Despite their growing use by law enforcement officials in Brazil and around the world, there currently exist no international standards that effectively regulate the design or performance of projectile electric shock weapons, including the strength of their electrical output or accuracy. As such, prior to their selection, procurement and deployment, it is essential that all electric shock weapons are rigorously and independently tested to ensure that they function correctly and are capable of being used in accordance with international human rights standards. Specifically, tests should be carried out to ascertain the electrical output of the device, ensuring that the weapon is capable of effectively incapacitating the target, with the shortest possible application of electrical shock and without causing serious injury or damage to internal organs. Tests should also be conducted to establish that the products can be fired accurately at the range at which it is designed to 30  Handheld chemical irritant sprays manufactured by Poly Defensor on display at Milipol 2019 © Robin Ballantyne/Omega Research Foundation

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