Widespread Protests Erupt Across Brazil Against PL da Dosimetria Bill Reducing Coup-Related Sentences

On October 14, 2025, large-scale protests occurred nationwide in Brazil opposing the proposed PL da Dosimetria bill, which threatens to significantly reduce prison sentences for those convicted of participating in the January 8 coup attempts, including former President Jair Bolsonaro. Demonstrations took place in major cities such as Brasília, Belo Horizonte, João Pessoa, and Cuiabá, where protesters carried slogans like "no amnesty" and "no impunity."

The PL da Dosimetria, also known as PL 2162/23, aims to merge the crime of coup d’état with violent abolition of the democratic state and expedite parole, allowing convicted individuals to serve as little as one-sixth of their sentence instead of the current one-quarter. If enacted, the bill could reduce Bolsonaro's prison term from over 27 years to approximately 2 years and 4–6 months, according to calculations by Deputy Paulinho da Força, the bill’s rapporteur.

The bill has already passed the Chamber of Deputies and is scheduled for review on October 17 by the Senate's Constitution and Justice Commission, with Senate President Davi Alcolumbre expressing intent to finalize the process this year.

Protests in João Pessoa included leftist parties and social movements gathering at the Busto de Tamandaré and marching to the Tambaú market, emphasizing opposition to what they view as a political maneuver to grant amnesty to coup conspirators. Similar mobilizations in other cities reflected a widespread national concern over the bill’s implications for justice and democratic accountability.

The demonstrations mark a significant public push against efforts perceived to undermine legal consequences for the serious offenses committed during the January 8 insurrection, underscoring the tensions within Brazil’s political landscape as the country approaches a critical legislative decision.