Brazil’s Supreme Court to try military personnel involved in January 8 assault on the three powers

Brazil’s Supreme Court will try civilians and military who were involved in the anti-democratic acts of January 8, as determined this Monday by the magistrate Alexander of Moraes.

In his decision, De Moraes underlined the “skill“of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) for the case”without distinguishing civilians and militaryand, incidentally, authorized the federal police to “open” an investigation for “possible crimes” committed by the military.

The magistrate relied on Anti-terrorism law which stipulates that in “acts which attack the democratic regime” justice “is not associated with the military function”, which has its own case law.

Federal police had asked the Supreme Court for permission to investigate the “alleged involvement“of members of the armed forces and military police in the crime of”Violent abolition of the democratic rule of law and coup”.

De Moraes, in the same decision, extended investigations for sixty days for acts of coup d’etat and in ninety those who advance on the “anti-democratic digital militiaswhich they reportedly promoted via social media.

Investigations are part of the process of violent assault against the three powers that happened on January 8 and who left nearly 2,000 detainees -with a third still under arrest- and ongoing police operations.

That day, a crowd of radical supporters of the former president Jair Bolsonaro invaded and destroyed the offices of the Presidency, Congress and the Supreme Court, in Brasilia, during an attempted coup against the leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

In parallel, the Federal Police launched Operation “Lesa Patria” in search of those who “participated, financed, omitted or encouraged” the invasion of powers and who splashed the members of the Military Police.

(With information from EFE)

Continue reading: