Legal actions against religious figures for discrimination

Legal proceedings have emerged in Brazil involving religious figures accused of making discriminatory remarks against the LGBTQIA+ community.

In Santa Catarina, a criminal court in Camboriú convicted radio broadcaster and pastor Silas de Souza for inciting prejudice. The court ruled that de Souza’s instructions to listeners to avoid voting for LGBTQIA+ candidates for the Guardianship Council were not protected by religious freedom, stating that such rights do not provide a “license to promote discrimination or prejudice against historically vulnerable groups protected by law.”

In São Paulo, a judge accepted a complaint against Moises de Jesus Lima, a pastor and former deputy government secretary of Nova Odessa. The prosecution alleges that Lima made homophobic remarks regarding the leadership of the Municipal Chamber. While Lima has denied the allegations, claiming “religious and political persecution,” he was previously dismissed from his position following the establishment of a Special Commission of Inquiry.