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Crime of Aggression

Crimes Against Humanity

Genocide

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Domestic Legislation on International Crimes

Crimes

Crime of Aggression / Crimes Against Peace

No Provision.

According to information provided by the Global Institute for the Prevention of Aggression, government or parliamentary officials in Brazil are currently working on the ratification of the Kampala amendments on the crime of aggression (see for example Status of Ratification and Implementation of the Kampala Amendments on the Crime of Aggression as of 26 June 2015).

According to the same source, at the ninth, tenth and thirteenth sessions of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP; December 2010, 2011 and 2014), Brazil made a specific commitment to ratify the amendments on the crime of aggression. On 11 June 2012, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), including Brazil, called upon all States Parties to ratify the amendments adopted in Kampala.

Crimes Against Humanity

  • Lei Nº 8.930 sobre os crimes hediondos. (Lei Nº 8.930, 6 de setembro de 1994)
    (Law No. 8930 about Heinous Crimes, amending Law No. 8.072 of 25 July 1990)
    Dá nova redação ao art. 1o da Lei no 8.072, de 25 de julho de 1990, que dispõe sobre os crimes hediondos, nos termos do art. 5o, inciso XLIII, da Constituição Federal, e determina outras providências. [POR]

  • Lei Nº 8.072, que dispõe sobre os crimes hediondos, nos termos do art. 5º, inciso XLIII, da Constituição Federal, e determina outras providências. (Lei Nº 8.072, de 25 de Julho de 1990) [POR]

    See also Article 83.V of the Criminal Code:
  • Texto complilado do Decreto-Lei Nº 2.848: Código Penal. (Decreto-Lei nº 2.848, de 7 de dezembro de 1940) [POR]

    Genocide

  • Lei Nº 2.889 do genocidio. (Lei Nº 2.889, 1 de outubro de 1956)
    Presidência da República, Casa Civil, Subchefia para Assuntos Jurídicos, Rio de Janeiro, 01out56 [POR]

    See Article 7.I.(d) of the Criminal Code:
  • Texto complilado do Decreto-Lei Nº 2.848: Código Penal. (Decreto-Lei nº 2.848, de 7 de dezembro de 1940) [POR]

    See Articles 208, 401 and 402 of the Military Criminal Code:
  • Texto complilado do Decreto-Lei Nº 1.001: Código Penal Militar. (Decreto-Lei nº 1.001, de 21 de outubro de 1969) [POR]

    War Crimes

  • Portaria Normativa que Aprova a Diretriz para a Difusão e Implementação do Direito Internacional dos Conflitos Armados nas Forças Armadas.
    Portaria Normativa Nº 916/MD, D.O.U. 16 de junho de 2008, Seção 1. [POR]

  • Decreto que cria a Comissão Nacional para Difusão e Implementação do Direito Internacional Humanitário. ( 27 de novembro de 2003)

  • Texto complilado do Decreto-Lei Nº 1.001: Código Penal Militar. (Decreto-Lei nº 1.001, de 21 de outubro de 1969) [POR]

    Article 5, paragraph 2 of the Contitution in force provides that:
      "[T]he rights and guarantees expressed in this Constitution do not exclude others arising from the regime and from the principles adopted by it, or from the international treaties in which the Federative Republic of Brazil is a party."
    And article 5, paragraph 3:
      "International human rights treaties and conventions which are approved in each house of the national Congress, in two rounds of voting, by three fifths of the votes of the respective members shall be equivalent to constitutional amendments."
    Article 7.II.(a) of the Criminal Code of 1940, estipulates that Brazil has jurisdiction over the crimes which, by treaty or covention, it has undertaken to repress.

    Brazil is a State party to the following main International Humanitarian Law treaties:
    • Geneva Conventions, 1949 (Ratification/Accession: 29 June 1957)
    • Additional Protocol (I) to the Geneva Conventions, 1977 (Ratification/Accession: 05 May 1992)
    • Additional Protocol (II) to the Geneva Conventions, 1977 (Ratification/Accession: 05 May 1992)
    • Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict, 2000 (Ratification/Accession: 27 January 2004)
    • The Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property and its Protocol, 1954 (Ratification/Accession: 12 September 1958)
    Article 10 of the Military Criminal Code of 1969 states:
      Military crimes in times of war
      Art. 10. The following are considered to be military crimes, in times of war:
      I - Those specifically envisaged in this Code for times of war;
      II - Military crimes foreseen in peacetime;
      III - Crimes foreseen in this Code, even if they are defined similarly under common or special penal law, when carried out, whoever may be the perpetrator:
      a) on national territory or foreign territory which is militarily occupied;
      b) anywhere where the preparation or execution of military operations is compromised or could be compromised in a way that threatens the external security of the Country or exposes it to danger.
      IV - crimes defined under common or special penal law, even if not defined in this Code, when carried out in a zone of active military operations or on foreign territory which is militarily occupied.
    The crimes specifically provided for by the Military Criminal Code in time of war are: homicide (Article 400), bodily harm (Article 403), abduction, rape and sexual violence (Articles 407 and 408).


    Jurisdiction

  • Texto complilado do Decreto-Lei Nº 2.848: Código Penal. (Decreto-Lei nº 2.848, de 7 de dezembro de 1940) [POR]

  • Texto complilado do Decreto-Lei Nº 1.001: Código Penal Militar. (Decreto-Lei nº 1.001, de 21 de outubro de 1969) [POR]

    Article 7 of the Military Criminal Code of 1969 provides:
      Territoriality and extraterritoriality

      Art. 7 - Military penal law is applicable, without prejudice to conventions, treaties and international law, to a crime committed, in whole or in part on national territory, or outside it, when in the latter case, the perpetrator is being tried or has been convicted under a foreign legal system.
    Article 5 of the Criminal Code of 1940 provides:
      Territoriality

      Art 5: Brazilian law is applied, without prejudice to conventions, treaties or international law, to crimes committed on national territory. (Provided in Law 7.209 of 1984)
      § 1 For the purposes of criminal law, Brazilian ships or aeroplanes, whether public or in the service of the Brazilian government, wherever they may be, together with Brazilian merchant or privately owned airplanes and ships, are considered to be extensions of Brazilian soil when they are found respectively in air-space or on high seas. (Provided in Law 7.209, of 1984)
      § 2 Brazilian law is also applicable to crimes committed on board foreign airplanes or ships in private ownership, when they land on national territory or fly in national airspace, or arrive in a Brazilian port or Brazilian territorial waters. (Provided under Law 7.209, of 1984).
    Article 7 of the Criminal Code of 1940 provides:
      Extraterritoriality (Provided in Law nº 7.209, de 1984)

      Art. 7 - The following are subject to Brazilian law, even when committed abroad: (Provided under Law 7.209, of 1984)
      I – crimes: (Provided under Law 7.209 of 11.7.1984)
        a) against the life or liberty of the President of the Republic (Included in Law 7209 of 1984)
        b) against the patrimony of or the public trust in the Union, the Federal District, the State, the Territory, the Municipality, a state company, a mixed economy company, an autarchy or a foundation instituted by Public Authority; (Included in law 7.209 of 1984)
        c) against the public administration, by a person who serves its interests (Included in Law 7.209 of 1984)
        d) of genocide when the perpetrator is Brazilian or domiciled in Brazil (Included in Law 7.209 of 1984)
      II - crimes: (Provided under law 7.209 of 11.7.1984)
        a) which, by treaty or convention, Brazil is committed to repress (Included in Law 7.209 of 1984)
        b) committed by Brazilians; (Included in Law 7.209 of 1984)
        c) committed on Brazilian airplanes or ships, whether merchant or privately owned, when on foreign territory where they are not tried (Included in Law 7.209 of 1984)
      § 1 – In cases set out in section I, the perpetrator will be punished in accordance with Brazilian law, whether absolved or found guilty abroad (Included in Law 7.209 of 1984)
      § 2 – In cases set out in section II, the application of Brazilian law depends on the outcome of the following conditions (Included in Law 7.209 of 1984)
        a) the perpetrator entering on to national territory (Included in Law 7.209 of 1984)
        b) the crime also being punishable in the country in which it was committed (Included in Law 7.209 of 1984)
        c) the crime being included in those for which Brazilian law permits extradition (Included in Law 7.209 of 1984)
        d) não ter sido o agente absolvido no estrangeiro ou não ter aí cumprido a pena; (Incluído pela Lei nº 7.209, de 1984)
        e) the perpetrator not having been pardoned abroad or not having had his sentence expunged for another reason pursuant to the most favourable law (Included in Law 7.209 of 1984)
      § 3 – Brazilian law is also applicable to a crime committed by a foreigner against a Brazilian outside Brazil, if the conditions in the preceding paragraph are met and: (Included in Law 7.209 of 1984)
        a) there was no request or refusal for extradition (Included in Law 7.209 of 1984)
        b) there was a petition from the Ministry of Justice (Included in Law 7.209 of 1984)

    International Criminal Court

    Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court: Brazil signed the Rome Statute on 07 February 2000 and deposited its instrument of ratification on 20 June 2002.

    Upon ratification, Brazil made the following notification under article 87 (1) and (2) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court:

      ".....with regard to article 87, paragraph 2 of the said Statute, the official language of the Federative Republic of Brazil is Portuguese and that all requests for cooperation and any supporting documents that it receives from the Court must be drafted in Portuguese or accompanied by a translation into Portuguese."
    Between the signature and the ratification of the Rome Statute of the ICC, a Working Group was established within the Ministry of Justice, entrusted with the preparation of the implementing legislation of the Rome Statute. This working group was coordinated by Tarciso Dal Maso Jardim and was composed of members from the Military Prosecution Office, the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Attorney General's Office, the Office of the Inspector General, Casa Civil (Executive Office of the President of Brazil), the Senate and the Brazilian Institute of Criminal Science. It sumitted a preliminary draft (anteprojeto de lei - APL) defining the crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, and outlining the cooperation with the International Criminal Court, with the aim of facilitating the exercise of jurisdiction by Brazil. The preliminary draft is now Draft Law No. (Projeto de Lei - PL) 4038/2008, and despite it being assigned a priority procedure, it still awaits consideration by the Plenary of the Chamber of Deputies.

  • Projeto de Lei 4038/2008. (Draft Law implementing the Rome Statute of the ICC)
    Dispõe sobre o crime de genocídio, define os crimes contra a humanidade, os crimes de guerra e os crimes contra a administração da justiça do Tribunal Penal Internacional, institui normas processuais específicas, dispõe sobre a cooperação com o Tribunal Penal Internacional, e dá outras providências. [POR]

    The parliamentary follow-up of this Draft Law is available at:
    http://www2.camara.leg.br/proposicoesWeb/fichadetramitacao?idProposicao=410747 [POR] [External Link]

  • Decreto Nº 4.388 de promulgação do Estatuto de Roma do Tribunal Penal Internacional. (Decreto Nº 4.388, 25 de setembro de 2002) [POR]

  • Complementary Legislation

    Impunity laws and related documentation:

  • Inter-American Court of Human Rights rules Brazil amnesty law invalid. By Jacklyn Belczyk, Paper Chase, Pittsburgh, 16Dec10 [ENG]

  • Lei Nº 10.559 de Disposições Constitucionais Transitórias de Anistia Política. (Lei 10.559/2002 (Lei Ordinária, 13 de novembro de 2002) [POR]

  • Decreto No. 84.143, de anistia para os crimes políticos cometidos entre 2 de setembro de 1961 e 15 de agosto de 1979. (Decreto No. 84.143, 31 de outubro de 1979) [POR]

  • Lei Nº 6.683 de anistia. (Lei Nº 6.683, 28 de agosto de 1979) [POR]

    Truth Commission:

  • Portaria que prorroga os trabalhos da Comissão Especial Interministerial. (Portaria Nº 515, de 16 de dezembro de 2013)

  • Texto compilado: Decreto 5.115 que institui Comissão Especial Interministerial (CEI). (Decreto Nº 5.115, de 24 de junho de 2004).[POR]

    Statutes and laws concerning the disappeared:

  • Texto compilado: Lei Nº 9.140 que reconhece como mortas pessoas desaparecidas em razão de participação, ou acusação de participação, em atividades políticas, no período de 2 de setembro de 1961 a 15 de agosto de 1979. [Inclui Alteraçãos: Lei 10.536, de 14/08/2002 (altera arts. 1º e 4º e reabre prazos previstos nos arts. 7º e 10 por 120 dias); Lei 10.875, de 01/06/2004 (altera os arts. 4º, 5º, 6º e 10)]. [POR]

  • Lei Nº 10.875 que altera dispositivos da Lei no 9.140, que reconhece como mortas pessoas desaparecidas em razão de participação em atividades políticas. (Lei Nº 10.875, de 1º de junho de 2004) [POR]

  • Lei Nº 9.140 que reconhece como mortas pessoas desaparecidas em razão de participação, ou acusação de participação, em atividades políticas, no período de 2 de setembro de 1961 a 15 de agosto de 1979. (Lei Nº 9.140, de 04 de dezembro de 1995. Inclui lista de pessoas desaparecidas). [POR]

    Other legal texts:

  • Lei 7.716 que define os crimes resultantes de preconceito de raça ou de cor. (Lei Nº 7.716, 5 de janeiro de 1989) [POR]


  • Court Cases

  • Sentença no caso Gomes Lund e Outros (Guerrilha do Araguaia) vs. Brasil
    Corte Interamericana de Direitos Humanos, Exceções Preliminares, Mérito, Reparações e Custas, San José de Costa Rica, 24nov10 [POR]
    Fichero Audio La Corte Interamericana deja visto para sentencia el caso Gómez Lund y otros vs. Brasil, conocido como "Guerrilla de Araguaia".
    Radio Nizkor, 12jun10 (06m 39ss)
  • Recurso de ApelaÇão Parcial contra a sentença 307/2003.
    Por Alvaro Augusto Ribeiro Costa, Processo Nº 82.0024682-5, Brasília/DF, 27 de agosto de 2003.
  • Informe sobre la sentencia del Caso de la guerrilla del Araguaia.
    Por Jair Krischk, conselheiro do Movimento de Justiça e Direitos Humanos, 23ago03 [ESP/SPA]
  • Informe de la CIDH 33/01 sobre el Caso de la Guerrilla de Araguaia.
    Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos, Informe 33/01 del Caso 11.552, Julia Gomes Lund y otros, 06mar01 [ESP/SPA]
  • Guerrilha do Araguaia. Seputura, atestados de óbito e ixibiçao de documentos
    Sentença 307/2003, Justiça Federal de 1a Instancia, 30jun03 [POR/POR]


  • Articles and Books

  • Guerrilla del Araguaia II.
    Por Jair Krischk, conselheiro do Movimento de Justiça e Direitos Humanos, 08sep03 [ESP/SPA]
  • Neonazismo, Negacionaismo e Extremismo Político
    Este livro reúne artigos inéditos e confêrencias de especialistas em distintas áreas das ciências humanas e sociais, apresentados e discutidos no Simpósio Internacional promovido pela Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Novembro de 2000.
  • Seqüestro no Cone Sul . O caso Lilian e Universindo
    Por Omar Ferri. Mercado Aberto Editora, 1981


  • Links

  • Derechos Website on the Disappeared in Brazil.
  • List of the Disappeared in Brazil.
  • Lista Detalhada dos Torturadores da Ditadura.
  • Pequena Lista do Repressores Brazileiros.
  • Equipo Nizkor Webpage on Brazil.
  • Mortos e Desaparecidos Políticos no Brasil.
    Centro de Documentação Eremias Delizoicov e a Comissão de Familiares dos Mortos e Desaparecidos Políticos [External Link]
  • Comissão de Anistia.
    A Comissão de Anistia foi instalada no Ministério da Justiça no dia 28 de agosto de 2001. Criada pela Medida Provisória n.º 2.151, posteriormente convertida na Lei 10.559, de 13 de novembro de 2002, ela tem por finalidade examinar e apreciar os requerimentos de anistia, emitindo parecer destinado a subsidiar o Ministro de Estado da Justiça na decisão acerca da concessão de Anistia Política. O regime da anistia política abrange aqueles atingidos por atos de exceção por motivação exclusivamente política entre 18 de setembro de 1946 e 5 de outubro de 1988.
    (The Amnesty Commission was set up by the Ministry of Justice on 28 August 2001. Created by means of a Provisionary Measure nº 2.151 and later converted into Law 10.559 of 13 November 2002 it had the objective of examining and evaluating the amnesty requirements, issuing opinions to assist the State Justice Minister in decisions concerning the granting of Political Amnesty. The regime of political amnesty encompassed those affected by acts of exception for exclusively political motives between 18 September 11946 and 5 October 1988). [External Link]
  • Constituição da República Federativa do Brasil (Texto compilado)
    Official website of the Presidency of the Republic. [POR] [External Link]
  • Constitution of the Federative Republic of Brazil. 3rd. Edition, 2010. Digital Library of the Chamber of Deputees (Constitutional text of October 5, 1988, with the alterations introduced by Constitutional Amendments No. 1/1992 through 64/2010 and by Revision Constitutional Amendments No. 1/1994 through 6/1994)
    Official website of the Supreme Court. [ENG] [External Link to pdf file]
  • Constituição da República Federativa do Brasil (Texto compilado até a Emenda Constitucional nº 90 de 15/09/2015)
    Official website of the Senate. [POR] [External Link]
  • Texto complilado do Decreto-Lei Nº 2.848: Código Penal. (Decreto-Lei nº 2.848, de 7 de dezembro de 1940) [POR] [External Link]
  • Texto complilado do Decreto-Lei Nº 1.001: Código Penal Militar. (Decreto-Lei nº 1.001, de 21 de outubro de 1969) [POR] [External Link]
  • Biblioteca Virtual de Direitos Humanos.Universidade de São Paulo. [POR]. [External Link]
  • Diários Oficiais da União, dos Estados e dos Municípios do Brasil. (Federal, State and Municipal Official Gazettes). [POR]. [External Link]
  • Portal da Legislação do Governo Federal. Subchefia para Assuntos Jurídicos, Casa Civil, Presidência da República. [External Link]
  • International Humanitarian Law treaties to which Brazil is a State Party.
    International Committee of the Red Cross [External Link]