MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazil: General Augusto Heleno granted house arrest

De Moraes warned that the general would return to a detention facility should he break the conditions for his house arrest

Supreme Federal Court (STF) Justice Alexandre de Moraes granted house arrest to General Augusto Heleno, the Minister of Institutional Security (GSI) under former President Jair Bolsonaro, who was among those convicted for the Jan. 8, 2023, coup attempt.

As per De MKoraes' decision on Monday, Heleno will be required to wear an electronic anklet and surrender his passports. In addition, he is banned from using a cell phone and accessing social media.

Sentenced to 21 years in prison, Heleno, 78, has been jailed since November 25 at the Planalto Military Command (CMP) in Brasilia. According to his defense, Heleno has serious health problems. In granting the measure, the judge cited the results of the official medical report by Federal Police experts. According to the physicians, Heleno is in the early stages of dementia, and remaining in closed custody would worsen the general's health.

“In a custodial institution, this inevitably leads to progressive and irreversible cognitive decline, which tends to accelerate and worsen in a prison environment, with the patient in relative isolation and lacking protective and retarding stimuli, in particular family life and assisted autonomy,” the report concluded.

De Moraes also ruled that Heleno must notify the STF of any medical appointments. “The convicted person must request prior authorization for trips for health reasons, except in urgent and emergency cases, which must be justified within 48 hours after the respective medical appointment,” he added.

If the precautionary measures are not complied with, De Moraes warned that the general would return to a detention facility. (Source: Agencia Brasil)