Brazilian Military Court convicts Colonel for Army corruption allegations

The Brazilian Military Justice system has convicted reserve Colonel and author Rubens Pierrotti Junior for his criticisms of the Army leadership. The decision was reached by a 4-to-1 vote by the Special Justice Council in Rio de Janeiro, with the only dissenting vote coming from a civilian judge.

The conviction stems from Pierrotti’s book, ‘Diários da Caserna: Dossiê Smart’, which alleges administrative impropriety and corruption involving high-ranking officers. Specifically, the work discusses irregularities in a 2010 contract with the Spanish company Tecnobit for the acquisition of an artillery simulator, a deal valued at approximately €13.98 million.

Pierrotti was found guilty under articles 166 and 219 of the Military Penal Code, involving charges of improper criticism of military authority and spreading facts deemed harmful to the Armed Forces' dignity. The court applied the minimum sentence, which was suspended under the ‘sursis’ provision, meaning the prison term will not be executed provided certain conditions are met.

Defense attorneys have characterized the ruling as “flagrant censorship” and a “departure from reality and the Constitution,” arguing that the facts described in the book have been previously corroborated by the Federal Police and the Supreme Federal Court. The defense intends to appeal the decision to the Superior Military Court.