Public prosecutors in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro have called for the arrest of 30 police officers. The officers are believed to have formed a death squad that carried out executions in the city in 2007 and 2008.

An investigation into the deaths of 20 people, who the officers said had died resisting arrest, revealed that the victims had all been shot either at close range or in the back. Of the 20, who were aged between 14 and 29, only two had committed punishable offences.

Every day, the police in Rio de Janeiro kill three people said to be resisting arrest.

Photo of Rio de Janeiro by Fernando Stankun (flickr)