Bolsonaro Government Wants to Give Indicted Police a Presidential Pardon

Some cases cited are not subject to legal pardon

Brasília

President Jair Bolsonaro is considering offering individual pardon to convicted police officers.

The presidential advisers confirmed that the president is studying this with the hope that it will be implemented by the end of the year.

In late August, the president said he intended to pardon police who were "unjustly imprisoned under media pressure."

Carandiru Prison Hall - The massacres of Carandiru (Foto: Niels Andreas/Folhapress) - Folhapress


Two days later, at lunch with journalists, he cited as examples including the massacres of Carandiru, in São Paulo, and Eldorado dos Carajás, in Pará.

Bolsonaro said he would give pardon to those who fit the criteria laid down by law, whether they are subordinates or police commanders convicted of crimes.

Legal experts and palace advisers saw at least two problems with the proposal. First, a pardon is a collective benefit granted to prisoners who have exhausted all possibilities of appeals to their conviction.

But there is another: the massacres of Carandiru and Carajás were considered qualified homicides, which makes them heinous crimes that cannot be pardoned.

The solution suggested by Planalto Palace is to study the concession of a presidential pardon, which would also avoid a third identified issue--the pardon could not be applied to specific categories.

Thus, anyone who eventually met the parameters set by the text would benefit - even those convicted of violence against police officers.

Translated by Kiratiana Freelon

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