The following is based on communications sent by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and the Working Group on the Rights of Peasants s and other people working in rural areas to the Federal Government of Brazil on 2 February 2026. The communication remained confidential for 60 days before being made public, giving the authorities time to reply. A response was received on 7 April 2026.
The Special Rapporteur appreciates the response of the Federal Government to the communication sent by her and the Working Group, in particular the details provided on the measures taken to address the risks faced by Mr. de Sousa Araújo and the investigative measures undertaken in response to threats against him. She urges the authorities to ensure that there is no impunity for these threats, underlining her concern that it is impunity that allows them to continue.
The importance of this is underlined by the fact that since the communication was sent, the Special Rapporteur has received information on new acts of intimidation targeting Mr. de Sousa Araújo. She raises particular concern as to the reported entry of armed men onto his land in the Vergel Community in Maranhão State on 9 April 2026, demonstrating a continuation of the pattern of incidents documented in the communication of February 2026. She urges the authorities to investigate this new alleged incident and to monitor the effectiveness of the protection measures put in place to ensure Mr. de Sousa Araújo’s safety, in coordination with him.
The Special Rapporteur again calls for a swift resolution to the land dispute underlying the risks faced by Mr. de Sousa Araújo.
This is a shorter version of the original communication.
Read the full communication to Brazil Read the full response by Brazil’s Federal Government Read the previous communication and response concerning Antônio Francisco de Sousa AraújoBACKGROUND
Topic: continuing threats against rural human rights defender Antônio Francisco de Sousa Araújo, from the Vergel community in the state of Maranhão.
Mr. Antônio Francisco de Sousa Araújo is a human rights defender and leader of the Vergel community, located 51 kilometres from the town of Codó in the state of Maranhão. The community was founded by rural workers over 100 years ago, with its residents living from small-scale agricultural activities. For many years, Mr. Araújo has been prominent in denouncing illegal land grabbing and land occupations by farmers and loggers in the community, four members of which, all of whom were relatives of Mr. Araújo, have been murdered since 2007, including his brother, murdered in 2021. These killings, which have occurred in the context of land conflict in the community, remain in impunity.
Mr. Araújo was the subject of a previous communication, addressed to your Excellency’s Government on 12 November 2024 (JAL BRA 1/2025). We appreciate the detailed response received on 14 January 2025, however, we renew our concern for the security of Mr. Araújo and his family in the light of the below-detailed information received.
ALLEGATIONS
On 11 June 2025, Mr. Araújo was threatened by a man who entered his property and stated that he didn’t fear being brought to justice.
On 15 September 2025, Mr. Araújo’s land in the Vergel community was invaded by trespassers, who attempted to fence it off for the introduction of cattle.
Between 10 and 13 October 2025, individuals entered Mr. Araújo’s property and fenced off his only source of water.
On 5 December 2025, the Agrarian Court of the District of São Luís, which had been considering the land dispute, suspended the proceedings so that the parties, Mr. Araújo, as the plaintiff, and the defendants, the alleged aggressors who have been invading his property and threatening him, could reach an agreement.
On 9 December 2025, armed men allegedly fired gunshots directly at Mr. Araújo’s door.
On 7 January 2026, at around 10.45 a.m., armed men entered Mr. Araújo’s property, destroying fences and rice plantations, and threatened to kill him, stating he would leave the place “dead or alive”. Mr. Araújo photographed the perpetrators and called an ally to alert them to what was happening. An armed men then spent the night circling his property.
All of these alleged attacks, threats and acts of intimidation have been denounced before various authorities in the state of Maranhão, including the State Secretariat for human Rights, the 2nd Public Prosecutor’s Office for Agrarian Conflicts, the Land Solutions Commission of the Court of Justice and the Prosecutor General of Justice, as well as the National Human Rights Council.
CONCERNS
In the communication, we renew our severe concern for the physical integrity of Mr. Araújo and his family, and urge immediate action by your Excellency’s Government to follow-up on the allegations and ensure their immediate and long-term safety.
