Brazil launches new police use‑of‑force guidelines and updates organized‑crime legislation

The Brazilian Ministry of Justice and Public Security released a multilingual collection titled “Normas sobre o uso da força no Brasil” during a meeting of the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Commission in Vienna. The handbook compiles the main legal texts that regulate police conduct, including the progressive use of force, firearms, less‑lethal weapons and de‑escalation techniques, and is intended to increase transparency, protect human rights and support international cooperation. It reflects Brazil’s broader effort under the Brazil Against Organized Crime program to improve policing standards, with accompanying projects on data, training and monitoring.

Brazil’s legal framework also defines criminal organizations and terrorism. Law 12.850/2013 characterises organized crime groups of four or more members, while Law 15.358/2026 (the “Raul Jungmann Law”) targets ultra‑violent groups of three or more people that use violence or intimidation to control territory or essential services. Law 13.260/2016 outlines terrorism offences involving explosives, toxic gases, biological or chemical agents and cyber‑attacks, prescribing prison terms of 12 to 30 years. These statutes together aim to combat both organized crime and terror‑related activities in Brazil.