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Article

12 May 2015

Author:
Charlotte Silver, Electronic Intifada

2016 Olympics: Brazil cancels $2 billion contract with Israeli security firm reportedly over human rights concerns

"Brazil cancels $2 billion contract with Israeli security firm for 2016 Olympics", 12 May 2015

Brazil’s government has excluded an Israeli “security” company from working at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro following a campaign by Palestine solidarity activists. In October 2014, the Israeli firm International Security and Defence Systems (ISDS) announced it had won a $2.2 billion contract with the Brazilian government to coordinate security at the huge sports event. The Times of Israel described the deal as “an unprecedented achievement for Israel,” while senior figures from the company stated it had already begun work. But on 8 April a division dealing with large events at Brazil’s justice ministry denied that ISDS had been awarded any contract. A letter from the ministry stated: “Any contract made by Rio 2016 won’t result in compromises by the Brazilian government.” The campaign against ISDS, which was supported by some of Brazil’s labor unions, is interpreting this as an acknowledgement of its grievances. Julio Turra, executive director of CUT, the largest workers’ union in Brazil, says in apress release: “We are glad that the government distances itself from ISDS. It would be illegal and shameful to hire a company that develops its technologies in complicity with Israeli crimes and that accumulates complaints about its participation in Central American dictatorships”...