Statute defines that IACHR convictions require faster procedures in Brazilian courts
The plenary of the CNJ approved this Tuesday (March 17, 2026) the Statute of the Inter-American Judiciary, which prioritizes processes on human rights violations. With the recommendation, the council determines that the courts consider the decisions of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to speed up the conduct of legal proceedings.
“It is up to the magistrates to prioritize the judgment of ongoing cases relating to the material and immaterial reparation of victims of human rights violations recognized in convictions of the Brazilian State by the bodies of the Inter-American Human Rights System, still pending full compliance”, establishes the text.
The statute, drawn up by the minister Luiz Edson Fachindetermines that judges analyze cases based on 4 elements:
1) complexity of the issue;
2) procedural activity of victims;
3) conduct of judicial authorities;
4) impact generated on those involved.
The text also establishes that people in vulnerable situations will have priority, by establishing the “special and reinforced duty of the State to satisfy obligations to respect and guarantee human rights”.
Approval was one of the priorities of Fachin’s administration at the head of the CNJ, which seeks greater integration of the Brazilian Judiciary with the Inter-American Court. The statute was discussed in the opening session of the Court’s 187th session, held in Brasília.
Fachin adopts dialogue with the Court as one of the main axes of his work in the STF and the CNJ. The minister has defended the self-restraint of members of the Supreme Court and ethical rules for their actions.
Fachin’s messages
This Monday (March 16, 2026), the president of the STF defended the ministers’ self-restraint. According to Fachin, in recent decades in constitutional and criminal matters. The minister also presented 10 principles that, according to him, should guide the actions of Brazilian judges.
“Self-restraint is not weakness; is respect for the separation of Powers, which, ultimately, is itself a constitutional requirement”, he stated in a master class at Brasilia University Center (CEUB). Read the speech (PDF – 232 KB).
On March 10, Fachin met with court presidents to discuss, among other topics, the remuneration of judges. On that occasion, he defended the end of the so-called “penduricalhos” and declared that the Judiciary cannot be imprisoned “in parochial interests, in economic convenience or in political calculations”.
The minister stated that “judges cannot be underpaid” and deserve protection in the face of rising costs of living, but he said salaries need to be “blatantly supported by the constitutional text”.
“We don’t have the vote. We have the reason for the law. And exactly for this reason we can never give up justifying our choices, justifying our decisions. They must be scrutinized widely, with complete transparency, and must be able to survive the most merciless public scrutiny“, he declared. Read the speech (PDF – 210 KB).
