Rio de Janeiro, Dec. 25, (dpa/GNA) – Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has issued Christmas pardons to police officers and soldiers who he says “unintentionally” committed crimes on the job.
Bolsonaro’s signed decree was published Thursday night in a special edition gazette from the government in Brasilia.
The decree does not have any immediate effect, News site G1 reported, saying lawyers for each inmate must still turn to the judiciary to request a release permit be issued.
Bolsonaro, who has been in office since 2019, signed a similar decree last year. He has repeatedly said that police officers who kill a suspect in the line of duty should not be investigated, and that they deserve a medal. Bolsonaro is a former military man himself.
Brazil’s security forces are notorious for their robust operations.
Bystanders have repeatedly been caught in the crossfire when heavily armed police special forces move into poor areas to fight drug gangs.
In the first six months of 2020, 3,148 people were killed by members of the security forces, according to figures compiled by G1.
GNA