Brazil’s Supreme Court suspends a newly adopted sentencing law that could reduce the time served by former President Jair Bolsonaro and other defendants linked to the January 8, 2023 coup attempt. Multiple outlets report that Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered the suspension, saying it is necessary to maintain legal certainty while the court reviews whether the Dosimetria law complies with the constitution. The decision prevents the use of the legislation for retroactive sentence reductions in cases still pending review, including execution-of-sentence proceedings tied to January 8 defendants.
The suspension applies as the Supreme Court considers appeals and awaits a full plenary hearing on challenges to the law’s constitutionality. At least one report says the ruling affects multiple pending cases listed under execution proceedings, while another cites a potentially broader impact covering a large number of January 8 convicts. The law was signed into force shortly before the suspension, and de Moraes’ order halts its immediate effect pending the outcome of the Supreme Court’s review.
