São Paulo, April 30, 2026—The Brazilian Federal Supreme Court ordered the state of São Paulo to pay $20,000 in moral damage compensation and a lifetime pension to freelance photojournalist Sergio Andrade da Silva, who lost sight in his left eye after being struck by a rubber bullet fired by the police during a protest on June 13, 2013.
“This is an important decision towards justice for photographer Sergio Andrade Silva after a 13-year legal battle,” said Cristina Zahar, Latin America program coordinator. “The unanimous decision assessed that the inconclusive forensic report did not absolve the state of its responsibility to protect its citizens. Andrade was simply doing his job when he was a victim of violence.”
The Supreme Court overruled a 2016 São Paulo state court decision that refused to compensate Andrade and alleged that it was not possible to confirm if the bullet had been fired by police.
Andrade told CPJ that the sentence came as a relief. “I’ve spent 13 years, not 13 days, 13 minutes or 13 seconds, waiting for this turnaround. It also became clear that the state must be held accountable in cases involving victims of police violence before the cases reach the Supreme Court,” he said.
The amount of the pension has yet to be determined, and the state has an opportunity to appeal the decision.