Fight against mass incarceration and the torture

Over the last few decades, the number of persons deprived of their liberty in Brazil has increased significantly. Today, Brazil ranks third in the ranking of countries with the largest prison population in the world, with an average of 300 adult persons deprived of liberty per 100,000 inhabitants. This number is twice as high as the world average, according to the International Center for Prison Studies (University of Essex/United Kingdom).

This massive, selective incarceration of black youths — especially women — demonstrates the unbridled advancement of institutional violence that has been established since Brazil’s colonial past and, since then, has made torture a perpetual practice within a criminal justice system that turns a blind eye to all types of violations of fundamental rights of persons deprived of liberty.

Given this situation, Justiça Global monitors and reports violations in places of deprivation of liberty, and advocates in Brazil and abroad to strengthen policies for preventing and combating torture; decarceration; controlling the use of force; and guaranteeing human rights in institutions of deprivation of liberty.