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INTRODUCTION
In recent years, the manufacture, promotion and trade of law enforcement and security equipment
including, striking weapons, instruments of restraint, electric shock weapons, chemical irritants, kinetic impact
ammunition, firearms and live ammunition and stun grenades has grown steadily, as national governments
have come to increasingly rely on the use of such equipment to manage prisons, police borders and suppress
civil unrest1. In 2015, the global trade of less lethal weapons was estimated to be worth approximately $5.65
billion USD. In 2020, this figure is forecast to reach $8.37 billion USD2.
Historically the manufacture and trade of law enforcement and security equipment has been dominated by
North American and European companies, but this is no longer the case, with major manufacturers now also
present in other regions. One country which has experienced particular success in the sector is Brazil, which
over the past decade has established itself as a leading manufacturer and exporter of policing and security
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INTRODUCTION
equipment. Although Brazil’s trade in law enforcement equipment still only represents a small proportion of its
broader arms industry, the sector has grown steadily in prominence, driven, in part, by growing domestic and
international demand as well as high levels of government support and defence spending.
If well-designed and used in accordance with international human rights law and the principles of legality,
necessity, proportionality, precaution, non-discrimination and accountability3, the types of law enforcement and
security equipment manufactured by Brazilian companies can play an important role in helping to maintain public
order and uphold the rule of law, by giving law enforcement officials the means to provide a graduated response
in circumstances where the use of physical force is unavoidable. Indeed, according to the UN Basic Principles
on the Use of Force and Firearms (UN Basic Principles), it is crucial for governments and law enforcement
agencies to “equip law enforcement officials with various types of weapons and ammunition that would allow
for a differentiated use of force and firearms”4, including what were then known as “non-lethal incapacitating
weapons”5.
At the same time, however, there have been a high number of reported cases of serious injuries and deaths
related to the abusive use of law enforcement equipment, resulting in violations to the rights to life and physical
integrity, the right to be free from torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
(torture and other ill-treatment), and the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly.
Often incidents such as these involve the misuse of equipment by law enforcement personnel and highlight the
need for greater training and accountability for individuals who are authorised to use force. However, in many
cases, these abuses also raise serious questions about the design and safety of the equipment used by law
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