Alexandre de Moraes, a minister of the Supreme Federal Court (STF), suspended the application of the Dosimetry Law on Saturday, May 9, 2026 [1].
The decision prevents the immediate reduction of prison sentences for individuals convicted of crimes against the democratic state. This action specifically impacts those sentenced in connection with the attacks on government buildings on Jan. 8, 2023 [2].
The Dosimetry Law was designed to adjust how sentences are calculated for these specific crimes, potentially lowering the time convicts spend in prison. However, the STF is now tasked with examining whether the law is constitutional and evaluating its overall merits [3].
Minister de Moraes said the suspension ensures that the STF plenary can conduct a full analysis of the legislation amid several pending legal challenges [4]. The move ensures that current sentences remain in place until the court reaches a final verdict on the law's validity [5].
By pausing the law, the court prevents a wave of sentence reductions that would have occurred before the judiciary could determine if the new rules align with the Brazilian constitution [6]. The suspension applies to specific criminal executions currently under review by the high court [7].
This legal freeze maintains the status quo for those convicted during the aftermath of the 2023 unrest. The STF will now decide if the Dosimetry Law can be applied retroactively, or if it violates the legal principles used to punish the Jan. 8 rioters [8].
“Alexandre de Moraes suspended the application of the Dosimetry Law on Saturday, May 9, 2026.”
This suspension represents a significant judicial check on legislative attempts to soften penalties for the 2023 insurrectionists. By halting the Dosimetry Law, the STF is asserting that the gravity of attacks on democratic institutions may outweigh the standard application of sentence-reduction laws, potentially setting a precedent for how Brazil handles political crimes in the future.
