In several appeals and in a communication filed with the UN Human Rights Committee in July 2016 we have proved, by means of countless pieces of evidence, that in Operation Car Wash the Prosecutors and former Judge Sergio Moro worked together with pre-established purpose and clear political motivation in order to prosecute, convict, and imprison former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The news piece issued by “The Intercept” discloses details of this plot which we have denounced in all the documents we filed on Lula’s behalf based on the evidence produced during the investigations, the procedure, and the out-of-court behavior of the Car Wash Prosecutors and of former Judge Sergio Moro.
The politically motivated actions of the prosecutors alongside the presiding former Judge have subjected Lula and his family to a myriad of arbitrary acts. Several other gross illegalities should be added to this landscape, such as the wiretap of our law firm’s main telephone landline done with the sole purpose of following closely our defense strategies, besides other acts that were intimidating and had the clear purpose of making the former President’s defense unfeasible.
There is no question the procedures against former President Lula are tainted by extremely serious issues when it comes to violations of fundamental guarantees and denial of one’s rights. Lula should be released immediately and the courts should recognize once and for all that he has not committed any crime and that he has been a victim of “lawfare,” which is the manipulation of the law and legal procedures for political persecution purposes.
Valeska Martins and Cristiano Zanin
