On Friday, the United Nations Human Rights Committee released a statement requesting that former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence for passive corruption and money laundering, be allowed to exercise his political rights while incarcerated and be free to stand in this year’s presidential election. Lula’s Workers’ Party sees this declaration as a potential route to getting their candidate campaigning on television and participating in live debates, and claim Brazil is legally obliged to adhere to the Committee’s ruling. However, the reality is far less clear-cut.
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