Highlights

1st Chamber of STF determines removal of senator Aécio Neves from office

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

By a majority of votes, the First Chamber of the Brazilian  Federal Supreme Court (STF), in a session held on Tuesday (26), in the judgment of the interlocutory appeal in the action for a privsional remedy (AC) 4327, ordered the suspension of the parliamentary functions of Senator Aécio Neves (PSDB-MG), accused by the Prosecutor General's Office (PGR) for the alleged crimes of corruption and obstruction of criminal investigations of criminal organizations. According to the decision, the senator is also required to comply with a curfew, and is forbidden from contacting others under investigation by any means or to leave the country, surrendering his passport. Unanimously, the request pre-trial detention was denied.

The decision reinstated the provisional remedies provided for in Article 319 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CPP) that had been imposed in May this year by the original rapporteur of the lawsuit, Justice Edson Fachin. At the time, he considered that indications of the practice of the crimes described in the plea deal struck between persons linked to the J&F Group and the Federal Prosecution Service were present, and pointed out the need for measures to ensure public order and proceedings.

Prison

Unanimously, the justices rejected the request for pre-trial detention, which had been reiterated by the PGR.