Bulletin 183 – People’s Committee in Defense of Lula and Democracy
Curitiba – 8/20/2018 – 7:40 PM
- The UN Human Rights Committee ruling which guarantees Lula’s right to run for office and participate in electoral campaigns has given the ex-President energy to continue the struggle until the final victory. This is what his PT Vice Presidential running mate, Fernando Haddad, said after visiting Lula this morning, August 20, together with PT President, Senator Gleisi Hoffmann. Read more here: http://www.pt.org.br/decisao-da-onu-renova-a-disposicao-de-lula-para-seguir-na-luta/
- Lula’s defense lawyers Cristiano Zanin and Valeska Martins reiterated that Brazil is legally obligated to accept the ruling by the UN Human Rights Committee in favor of the ex-President. Even Supreme Court Minister Luis Barroso has made rulings on the importance and credibility of the UNHRC, says Zanin. Read more here: http://www.pt.org.br/zanin-diz-que-barroso-ja-reconheceu-a-onu-em-decisoes-anteriores/
- In a Mercosur Parliament (Parlasur) session today, August 20, in Montevideo, Federal Congressman Ságuas Moraes (PT-MT) denounced Lula’s position as political prisoner. On Sunday, August 19, the progressive Bloc in Parlasul held a debate on the situation in Brazil and Latin America in which they emphasized the judicial persecution against Lula and Cristina Kirchner, Senator and ex-President of Argentina. Parlasur is composed of parliamentarians from Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela.
- Today, the 7 hunger strikers completed their 21st day without food in demand of justice from the Federal Supreme Court and received a letter of support and solidarity from the World Communion of Reformed Churches and the Alliance of Presbyterian and Reformed Churches of Latin America, which together have over 100 million members worldwide. The letter states that both organizations accompanied the decision of the UN in favor of Lula. Read the entire letter here: http://www.pt.org.br/em-carta-religiosos-se-solidarizam-com-lula-e-grevistas/
- On Sunday, August 20th, in the headquarters of the United Nations in New York, activists demonstrated to show that the UN Human Rights Committee ruling that Lula must participate in the elections is mandatory and demanded that the Brazilian state obey the decision. The activists hung an enormous banner demanding freedom for Lula and respect for the UN decision.
- Vladimir Aras, specialist in international law and a prosecutor for the Federal Public Prosecutors Office, reaffirmed that adherence to the UNHRC ruling is mandatory. Aras published an article in which he says that the Supreme Electoral Court has the responsibility to obey the UN decision. Read more here: https://lula.com.br/procurador-do-mpf-diz-que-tse-tem-que-acatar-a-onu-e-lula-candidato/
- Ex-President Lula was visited today by Sister Jusciêda Araújo Menezes, from the Sisters of Saint Felix of Cantalice Congregation. In a meeting with activists in the Lula Livre Vigil, she said that Lula’s message is clear: he is in good shape and determined, but “like all Brazilians, furious with everything that was done against him, but without anger in his heart.” The nun highlighted Lula’s condition as a political prisoner and said that, “no judge or system will extinguish his star.”
Bulletin 183 – People’s Committee in Defense of Lula and Democracy
Curitiba – 8/20/2018 – 7:40 PM
