The state and municipal governments of Rio de Janeiro agreed not to apprehend and take teenagers to police stations except in cases of flagrant criminal acts, or by court order.
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The agreement partially reestablishes the decision of the 1st Children, Youth and Elderly Court of Rio de Janeiro, which prohibited arrests without being caught during Operation Summer, with reinforced policing on the city’s beaches throughout the season.
Child and Adolescent Statute
According to the Child and Adolescent Statute (ECA), young people cannot be apprehended without being caught red-handed or having a warrant issued against them. In the Public Ministry’s petition that gave rise to the court decision, there are reports of teenagers who were apprehended and taken to social assistance centers.
Approach Plan
In addition to the agreement, the state and city hall committed to presenting, within 60 days, a public security plan aimed at repressing offenders, as well as a social approach plan that does not violate the rights of children and adolescents.
Operation SummerThe Rio de Janeiro City Hall informed that it will strictly comply with the decision and that it will not make Operation Summer unfeasible. Operation Summer is a partnership between the state government and Rio City Hall. It started last September to reinforce policing on the beaches.
Analysis:
The debate over the detention of teenagers returned to the agenda in December, after the attack on Marcelo Rubim Benchimol, aged 67, on Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana, South Zone of Rio. He was attacked by more than 10 people and had his belongings stolen. The situation highlighted the vulnerability of citizens in the face of crime, while part of the group responsible for the attack roamed the streets of the neighborhood carrying out thefts without being disturbed.
Given this scenario, both the Public Ministry and experts point out that Operation Summer, although intended to promote public safety, may have exceeded legal limits, violating the individual and collective rights of children and teenagers, especially those belonging to a specific layer of society.
Therefore, the debate on the detention of teenagers during Operation Summer is not limited only to public security, but also demands a critical analysis of the strategies adopted, seeking a balance between the protection of society and respect for the individual and collective rights of the young people involved.
Source: O Globo.
