[Sorgam]

If it's only systematic abuses, then the rogue police torturings in Brazil that the article described would count as "crime" and not be human rights violations. I think it's a grey area between the government allowing it to happen and actively doing it. Is a policeman breaking his rules really worse than a powerful gang? The latter may do more systematic harm and be more inescapable.

[danbruc]

If you violate national law, it is a crime, otherwise it is a human rights violation. If you violate national law but the law is not enforced, you end up in the grey area. I this case I would say if the state actively looks away it is a human rights violation, if the state is just overwhelmed it remains a crime. This of course again leaves a smaller gray are around looking away because you are overwhelmed.

[kijin]

The police represent the government, and everything the government does is assumed to be systematic. So it's a human rights violation, unless you can prove that it really was the isolated behavior of a rogue police officer.