{{Brazil’s Supreme Court has narrowly ruled in favour of reopening the country’s biggest corruption trial.}}
The court agreed that 12 of 25 people convicted in a scheme using public funds to pay parties for political support could have appeals heard.
The decision is set to anger many who expected the sentences to be upheld, correspondents say.
But judge Celso de Mello, who broke an earlier deadlock, said justice should not yield to popular pressure.
In a two hour-long statement, Mr Mello argued for the right of appeals on the grounds of human rights and the Brazilian law.
“For them to be exempt and independent, the judges cannot yield to the popular will, to the masses,” he said.
{{‘Brazil in the bin’}}
Last week, five judges voted to deny appeals against last year’s Supreme Court Decision.
Another five voted in favour.
The prospect of the tie-breaking vote of judge Celso de Mello had the nation holding its breath for nearly a week, correspondents say.
But the decision to reopen the Mensalao trial, which took four months to conclude in 2012, is controversial.
“Today we march to [Brazil’s capital] Brasilia to demand our rights, because Celso de Mello has just thrown Brazil in the bin,” a user wrote on Twitter.
wirestory
Leave a Reply