The sentence was replaced by provision of services to the community and payment of cash; in addition, he must pay a fine of R$10,000 and compensation of the same amount to the victim
The Federal Court in Pernambuco sentenced a 52-year-old man for the crime of racial insult against the former minister of Human Rights and Citizenship, . The defendant published offensive comments in an Instagram post. The complaint was presented by the Federal Public Ministry (MPF). The sentence was handed down by the 16th Federal Court of Caruaru, in Agreste Pernambuco. The defendant was sentenced to two years, four months and 15 days in prison. However, the sentence was replaced by providing services to the community and paying money. In addition, he must pay a fine of R$10,000 and compensation of the same amount to the victim.
Despite the conviction, the MPF said it will appeal the decision to try to increase the sentence. The criminal comment was made in a post in which the then minister defended, in an interview, an immediate ceasefire in the conflict in the Middle East. In addition to racial insults, the man wrote that Silvio Almeida should have been in the crossfire. The defendant’s defense claimed that there was no intention of committing an offense, and that the message was the result of an audio transcription or typing error.
The Court, however, accepted the MPF’s thesis and rejected the defense’s arguments, considering that the defendant is “minimally educated” and fully capable of understanding the content of his messages. The conviction is based on article 2-A of Law No. 7 716/1989, which typifies the crime of racial insult, with a penalty of two to five years in prison, in addition to a fine.
Silvio Almeida left the ministry of the president’s government (PT) in September 2024, after allegations of sexual harassment came to light. Among the women who accused him is the Minister of Racial Equality, .
*With information from Estadão Conteúdo
Published by Fernando Dias
