The United States has announced sanctions against Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, citing serious human rights abuses. The U.S. government alleges that Moraes engaged in arbitrary detention and denied fair trial guarantees, as well as violated freedom of expression.
According to the announcement, Justice Moraes used his position to issue secret orders to online platforms, including American social media companies, requiring them to ban accounts of individuals for posting content considered protected speech. The statement further accuses Moraes of authorizing unjust pre-trial detentions and undermining freedom of expression.
Moraes is being sanctioned under Executive Order 13818, which implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. This act allows the U.S. government to target foreign officials involved in significant human rights violations or corruption.
"The United States will use all appropriate and effective diplomatic, political, and legal instruments to protect the speech of Americans from foreign malign actors like Moraes who would seek to undermine it," according to the official statement.