Brazil: an indictment for the murders of Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira has come at long last — but stronger measures are needed

Nearly two and a half years after the brutal killings of journalist Dom Phillips and his fixer Bruno Pereira, a serious advancement against impunity has been made. The Brazilian federal police have concluded that the murders were driven by Pereira’s environmental monitoring work and his defence of Indigenous rights in Vale do Javari, an Indigenous territory. According to the final report, Rubens Villar, head of an illegal fishing operation, provided ammunition to the killers and funded legal expenses for one of the initial suspects arrested. A total of nine individuals were charged for both the murders and the concealment of the victims' bodies.

Dom Phillips, a seasoned journalist who wrote for The Guardian, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, was in the Amazon to conduct interviews for a book on the region. He was accompanied by Bruno Pereira, on leave from FUNAI (a government agency responsible for protecting the rights and interests of Indigenous peoples in Brazil) to work with with Univaja, a non-profit organisation that advocates for Indigenous peoples. 

RSF and its partners have consistently underscored the importance of not treating Dom Phillips's death as a mere collateral consequence of the violence inflicted on Bruno Pereira. Both were victims of a criminal network intent on silencing those who expose the destruction of the rainforest and the illegal activities rampant in the region.

“The indictment of the crime’s mastermind is an important milestone, but it is far from enough. Justice for Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira will only be achieved when all guilty parties are held accountable. Dom's murder cannot be dismissed as collateral damage to Bruno's death. Both were deliberately targeted by a criminal network operating with impunity in the Amazon. Immediate, effective measures are needed to protect the region’s journalists and prevent further tragedies. We call on the Brazilian authorities to take concrete steps to fortify protections for journalists and environmental defenders, improve investigative practices for crimes against the press, and ensure a safer environment for reporting in the Amazon.” 

Artur Romeu, Director of RSF’s Latin America Bureau.

RSF's push for accountability

Ever since Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira disappeared in June 2022, RSF has called for justice and stronger protective measures. In collaboration with other civil society groups, RSF petitioned the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), which resulted in the establishment of a joint working group with the Brazilian government. Formed in December 2023, this group implements and supervises effective measures to combat impunity and ensure the safety of journalists in the region.

Scorched lands and repressed journalism in the Amazon

Despite these efforts, progress remains slow. RSF recorded 85 attacks on journalists in the Amazon between June 2022, when Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira were murdered, and June 2024. These attacks include death threats, physical violence, armed assaults, and legal harassment. Until the promised protection measures are fully implemented, many journalists and environmental defenderswill remain at risk.

The dire situation in the Amazon is detailed in RSF’s report,  “Scorched Lands of Journalism in the Amazon”, published in September 2023. The report sheds light on the escalating violence faced by journalists who report on environmental crimes and the insufficient response from the Brazilian authorities.

RSF’s unwavering commitment to press freedom means it will continue working with national and international partners to ensure that the murders of Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira lead to systemic change, ensuring that such crimes never go unpunished.