Amnesty International Brazil has publicly condemned the recent acquittal of police officers Diego Pereira Leal and Aslan Wagner Ribeiro de Faria, who faced charges for the killing of 13-year-old Thiago Menezes Flausino. The incident occurred on a police operation in Cidade de Deus, Rio de Janeiro, and sparked widespread outrage among human rights organizations and local communities. Despite the evidence presented, the court found the officers not guilty, which has raised serious questions about the accountability of law enforcement in Brazil.

During the trial, which was presided over by Judge Renan de Freitas Ongaratto at the 2nd Jury Court, the prosecution accused the officers of homicide not only against Flausino but also of attempting to murder a man who was driving the motorcycle carrying the boy at the time of the shooting. However, the focus during the trial appeared to shift away from the officers' conduct and the circumstances surrounding the child's death. Instead, the narrative disproportionately emphasized the victim's life, attempting to portray Flausino as linked to criminality, which Amnesty International highlighted as an attempt to justify the unjust killing of the teenager.

The acquittal represents not just a legal setback but a perceived defeat in the ongoing struggle for justice and accountability within the Brazilian justice system, particularly related to police violence. Amnesty International's response reflects the concern that such decisions undermine trust in the justice system and perpetuate a cycle of violence and impunity, especially in marginalized communities such as Cidade de Deus. This incident is likely to further fuel advocacy for police reform and greater scrutiny of law enforcement practices in Brazil.