Brazil: extrajudicial execution / fear for safety: Street children in Brazil’s main cities, including: Paulo Roberto de Oliveira, Marcelo Candido de Jesus, and at leave five others killed in Rio de Janeiro

At least seven street children were killed and another seriously wounded in the early hours of 23 July 1993 in circumstances suggesting they were the victims of extrajudicial execution. Paulo Roberto de Oliveira, aged 11, and Marcelo Candido de Jesus, aged 14, were part of a large group of about 50 street children sleeping rough beside Candelaria Church, Rio de Janeiro, when a group of gunmen, some of them hooded, opened fire. Four boys died instantly, three others were killed soon afterwards. Among those wounded, one boy is in a coma in hospital, and a young adult was also critically wounded in the same incident. Survivors of the massacre have alleged that the gunmen identified themselves as members of the police. Four military police officers have been arrested.

Choose a language to view report

Download PDF