PF will hear 80 soldiers about coup attack – 04/10/2023 – Politics

The Federal Police will hear the testimony of about 80 soldiers about the acts of vandalism on January 8th.

The hearings will take place within the investigation opened by the STF (Supreme Federal Court) to determine the omission of authorities in the episode. The rapporteur of the case in court is Minister Alexandre de Moraes.

In February, Moraes established the competence of the STF to prosecute and judge crimes committed in coup attacks, regardless of whether those investigated were civil or military.

On January 8, hundreds of radicalized Bolsonaristas who were concentrated in front of the Army headquarters in Brasília walked along the Esplanada dos Ministérios and invaded the headquarters of the three Powers.

They entered and destroyed the buildings of the National Congress, the Planalto Palace and the STF.

Moraes led the legal response to the attacks. One of his first measures, taken hours after the invasions, was the temporary removal of the governor of the Federal District, Ibaneis Rocha (MDB), from office.

The Military Police of the DF, which provides security for the Esplanada, is subordinate to the district government.

Ibaneis only returned to command of the DF Government on March 15, also by determination of Moraes.

More than 1,400 arrests were made in connection with the attacks. As of early April, 313 were still being held.

When he established the competence of the Supreme Court to judge those involved in the coup attacks, Moraes also authorized the establishment of an investigative procedure, by the Federal Police, of possible crimes committed by members of the Armed Forces and military police related to “the attacks against democracy that culminated with the acts criminals and terrorists on January 8, 2023”.

There were doubts whether, in these cases, who would judge the military would be the Supreme Court or the Military Justice.

At the time, Moraes understood that the investigations into the episode “none of the hypotheses” that define the case as the responsibility of the Military Justice are not present.

The minister also determined the opening of a confidential procedure for the investigation of the military. On Monday, Moraes also granted provisional release to at least 20 people who were arrested after the protests. They will have to wear electronic anklets.