Paulo Silva Filho (Paulinho do PT)
Paulo Silva Filho, known as Paulinho do PT, was a trade unionist member of Fetagri (Federação dos Trabalhadores na Agricultura, Federation of Agriculture Workers) and former city councillor in Ourilândia do Norte. He was also the leader of Occupation 1200, formed by families living on Agrarian Reform resettlement lands of the 1200 Farm. He was a well known human rights defender who helped coordinate struggles for land rights in the Southeast of Pará, and was killed on 22 February 2020 with a gunshot to his head.
The challenges and threats faced by human rights defenders in Brazil remain very high, particularly for those working on issues of land, environment, indigenous peoples, LGBTi rights, corruption and impunity. Many HRDs have experienced death threats, physical attacks, arbitrary arrests and lawsuits. The high number of killings is of particular concern and takes place against a background of widespread impunity.
