MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Lula issues Christmas pardon but not for sex or antidemocratic offenders

Lula's measure also includes prisoners with severe autistic spectrum disorder or neurodiverse conditions

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva issued a pardon favoring terminally ill prison inmates as well as at-risk pregnant women or those with HIV but fell short of benefitting those who committed crimes that were either heinous - such as torture, terrorism, racism, money laundering, concealment of assets - or against democracy, it was announced Monday in a special edition of the Diário Oficial da Uniao (Official Gazette).

The pardon also covers inmates “with paraplegia, tetraplegia, monoplegia, hemiplegia, ostomy, amputation, paralysis, blindness or other physical disability that causes similar impairment, proven by a report issued by an official doctor,” the document mentioned. The measure also includes prisoners with severe autistic spectrum disorder or neurodiverse conditions or inmates suffering from a serious, chronic, highly contagious illness, or who are blind.

However, it left aside prisoners convicted of sex crimes or leaders of criminal factions. The initiative also targeted people over 60 who have served part of their sentence and those who are essential for raising children aged 12 or less, such as mothers and grandmothers who pose no threat to society. This year's pardon does not contemplate “accessory” penalties, such as fines, it was also explained.

The Christmas leniency proposal including those convicted of crimes “without violence or serious threat” who have served, until Dec. 25, 2024, at least one-fifth of their sentence, if they are not repeat offenders, or one-fourth if they were, was drafted by Brazil's National Criminal and Penitentiary Policy Council and reviewed by Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski.