Gleydson Carvalho

Brazilian radio host Gleydson Carvalho murdered on air

In a horrific attack last week, a Brazilian radio host was assassinated while the musical intermission of his live show was airing. The assailants, thought to have been hired (though it is not yet known by whom) are said to have burst into the Radio Liberdade FM in Camocim (“Liberty Radio”) studios at midday, shooting lunchtime host Gleydson Carvalho five times before fleeing the scene on a motorbike. Two men have since been arrested in regards to the attack, though they have yet to be formally charged.

A staunch critic of the corruption within local government, Carvalho died an ambulance on the way to the hospital, becoming the fourth journalist to be killed in Brazil this year. Friends of the DJ have stated that death threats were not an uncommon occurrence, but the radio host never allowed them to silence him. One close friend has spoken of Carvalho criticism of government corruption, stating that his friend “had enemies because of accusations he made.” Despite three other deaths this year alone, Carvalho had told friends that he had never feared for his life.

Commenting on Carvalho’s murder, Maria Laura Canine, the Brazilian director at Human Rights Watch has said that it is “crucial for the authorities to ensure full accountability for the killing of Carvalho and other journalists,” in order to guarantee that journalists in Brazil can work without fearing for their lives.