At least 216 LGBT people have been murdered in Brazil so far this year.

The data is collated by rights group Gay Group of Bahia (GGB), as police do not keep official records of hate crime murders.

The stats shows that over 200 gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender people have been murdered between January 1 and September 29 this year.

The group’s study, which estimated the number using police records and news reports in the region, found that 43 percent of the times took place in the North East.

35% of victims were trans people, while 59% of those were gay, and 4% were lesbians.

Though homosexuality is not a crime in Brazil, it is notorious for having one of the highest murder rates for LGBT people – and transgender people in particular – in the world.

In 2012, it reported that 338 LGBT Brazilians were murdered.

Earlier this month an 18 year old gay Brazilian was found murdered with a broken neck – an attack that is being investigated as a hate crime.

Rights activist Carlos Tufvesson told O Globo that the murders should be treated as hate crimes, as racist murders are.

Presidential candidate Levy Fidelix said that gay people “need psychological care” at a live television debate last Sunday.

Brazil recently voted in favour of a UN resolution which condemns violence and discrimination against LGBT people.

This month GGB also launched a website listing political candidates who support gay rights.