Human rights concern over Rio de Janeiro slum killings

Human Rights Watch said a pattern of covering up police killings has thwarted efforts to curb violence in Rio de Janeiro’s slums ahead of the summer Olympic Games in Brazil.

Many of the people killed by police in recent years were unarmed, in custody or trying to flee, according to the 109-page report.

Authorities have said that in most cases, the police had come under attack, but prosecutors told the rights group that in the majority of the cases there was no confrontation.