EDUARDO COLLEY AGAINST RNZ

Eduardo Colley complained about an article published by RNZ on May 7, 2021 under the headline Rio police draws international ire as 25 killed in drug gun battle.

The Reuters article reported that at least 25 people were killed in a shootout between suspected drug traffickers and police in Rio de Janeiro. It reported how police said most of the casualties were suspected members of a drug-trafficking gang which dominated life in the slum neighbourhood.

A considerable amount of the report was taken up reporting on outrage from international human rights groups who expressed concern that Brazilian police had conducted another armed raid on a favela.

Mr Eduardo said RNZ had manipulated and distorted the facts. Brazilians supported the police. The criminals were not killed; they died in a confrontation with police. They were armed and fired first. They were not suspects, they were drug traffickers. A photo caption reporting a protest was “the biggest lie” – “I used to live in Rio and we never would protest against the police after such confrontation”

Mr Coffey disagrees with the way this was reported and has offered his opinions. However, there is no evidence to support a complaint that the report was inaccurate, unfair and unbalanced.

There are insufficient grounds to proceed.