Investigation probes activist murders in Amazon

In the Amazon, activists die for standing up for the rainforest.

In one of the most high-profile activist murders in years, Jose Claudio Ribeiro da Silva and his wife were gunned down in May. The two assassins reportedly cut off their ears as proof they had successfully completed their mission.

The couple is among at least 212 Amazonian activists who have been murdered since 1996 — an average of 12 per year. 

Now a new documentary produced by Al Jazeera examines the death of da Silva, who had campaigned against illegal logging for nearly 15 years.

Says Al Jazeera: "'The Crying Forest' paints a shocking portrait of life in the Brazilian Amazon through the story of a couple that lived and died for the rainforest."

Watch below.

Follow Stephanie on Twitter: @stephaniegarlow

Sign up for our daily newsletter

Sign up for The Top of the World, delivered to your inbox every weekday morning.