Visit to Brazil, Report of the Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes violations.108 The IACHR has raised concerns about Brazil regarding the criminalization of protests against the erosion of worker rights.109 Human rights defenders 66. Today, disturbing accounts illustrate the grave danger facing environmental, indigenous, worker and other human rights defenders in Brazil, a problem that predates the death of Chico Mendez in 1988. The killing and criminalisation of indigenous and environmental rights defenders, and NGOs, is alarming.110 Increasingly, these brave individuals are targeted to prevent them from exercising any number of human rights, often at the behest of powerful interests. Brazil was the deadliest country for environmental human rights defenders in 2016, and ranked fourth in 2018, with the numbers pointing to an increase in 2019.111 In 2017, three trade union activists were killed,112 and this trend of murder and threats of worker representatives continues to 2020.113 67. During his two weeks in Brazil, the Special Rapporteur heard of no less than three defenders who were killed and two gravely wounded. During consultations in North-East Brazil, word arrived of four indigenous defenders shot as they left a community mobilization meeting nearby, two of whom sadly died. Another report was received at the end of his mission of another indigenous advocate who worked as a journalist, assassinated in horrific fashion. 68. Brazil has repeatedly pledged to protect human rights defenders and to implement concrete measures to ensure they carry out their work without impediments. 114 Specific legislation and programmes demonstrate some motivation to take action.115 The Human Rights Defenders Protection Program (PPDDH) coordinates protection of all human rights defenders.116 While Brazil does not recognise specific categories of human rights defenders,117 environment and health rights defenders are included under the programme. 69. Critically missing are specific measures to address root causes of conflict, evident in the lack of sustainability planning and rampant pressure to usurp lands by businesses. Instead of trying to prevent the situation, there is an insistence that efforts are underway to address the consequences. This approach characterised by inadequate prevention strategies or investigations has not succeeded in ending impunity.118 Instead, physical protection of a limited number of identified human rights defenders appears to be prioritised. 119 A general public policy to address inadequate coordination between state and federal agencies including with respect to investigations may be useful.120 VI. Right to information 70. Prevention, expression and participation, truth, justice and remedy all depend on information. Only with adequate information can individuals and communities secure a clean 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 14 RBA (March 2019) https://www.cut.org.br/noticias/acao-contra-mp-dos-sindicatos-vai-ao-plenariodo-stf-c43f. CIDH, OAS (2019) https://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/solicitudoc/soc_3_2019_ing.pdf . FIAN Brazil, HRtAFN (2019) . Global Witness (2019). CIDH, OAS (2019) https://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/solicitudoc/soc_3_2019_ing.pdf ; ITUC (2018) https://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/ituc-global-rights-index-2018-en-final-2.pdf. ITUC (2020) https://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/ituc_globalrightsindex_2020_en.pdf. Brazil Government (2019) para 8 https://www.universal-rights.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/NV199-19-Brazils-Voluntary-Pledges-and-Commitments.pdf. A/74/159 para 61. Brazil Government (2019) https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Defenders/GA73/states/Brazil.pdf. Id. A/74/159 para 61 – 68. Id. Id.