UN Special Rapporteur on the right to peaceful peaceful assembly and association, Clément Nyaletsossi Voule, expressed concern on Friday about possible acts of violence during the campaign for next October’s presidential elections in Brazil and called for guarantees.
“The biggest concern is that there will be acts of violence during the election process and that some (political actors) are unaware of the legitimacy of the election results,” Voule said at a news conference he held this Friday to mark the conclusion of an official visit 12 days after Brazil.
The rapporteur said he felt he was in a very polarized environment
After his meetings with authorities, human rights defenders’ organizations and community leaders in Brasilia, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Salvador, the rapporteur said he sensed a “very polarized environment” characterized by “extreme violence” against human rights defenders and black people.
The UN rapporteur pointed to the level of radicalization in Brazil in the face of elections completely polarized by the possible row between the current Brazilian president, far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro, and left-wing leader and former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Above all, Voule warned against violence against political and social leaders
During Voule’s visit to Brazil, the Lula-led Workers’ Party (PT) condemned the escalation in threats against the former union leader, who leads all voting intention polls for the October 2 presidential election with 43% of the vote. compared to 26% for Bolsonaro.
In particular, Voule warned of the violence against political and social leaders and some candidates, particularly women and representatives of black and LGTB communities.
In his opinion, physical and virtual attacks on political candidates and leaders pose a threat to political participation and democracy.
“Political violence destroys Brazilian democracy, it prevents participation, it creates insecurity and threatens peace in the communities,” added the lawyer.
Demanding guarantees for the elections, he reiterated that “the state must protect the candidates from any threat or virtual or physical attack”.
In this sense, he said he was “deeply concerned” by the impunity in which the murder of Marielle Franco remains four years after the global shock caused by the crime against the councilwoman who advocates the defense of the causes of women, black women , had used. Lesbians and the residents of the favelas.
“This is a case that needs to be resolved to ensure that a black candidate can safely vote,” he said.
The UN rapporteur also expressed concern about the possibility that some sectors will not know the election result in the event of a defeat, a fear cited by PT leaders amid repeated statements in which Bolsonaro questioned the security of the Brazilian electronic voting system.
The far-right leader has said without evidence that the electronic ballot box voting system allows for fraud, although the Supreme Electoral Court has reiterated the security of the process and the Supreme Court has even launched an investigation into the head of state over these allegations he says are unfounded.
“These concerns must be based on facts” and they are dangerous because “they create an environment of uncertainty,” said the Tongolese lawyer.
The UN rapporteur also demanded that the state guarantee elections “free of discrimination, disinformation, false news and hate speech”.
Although he did not quote anyone, his testimony comes as the judiciary is investigating Bolsonaor for spreading false news.
After his official visit to Brazil, Voule is due to submit a full report on the situation in the country, including his recommendations to the Brazilian government, to the UN Human Rights Council in June 2023.