Magistrate Flavio Dino of Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court (STF) denounced the possibility of new US sanctions against members of the Court as illegitimate pressure.

  During the resumption of the extraordinary plenary session reviewing a point of order regarding a potential investigation into Justice Alexandre de Moraes, Dino stated that the prospect of US measures constitutes a matter of “enormous legal and constitutional gravity.”

  The justice referred to a report by the news portal UOL, according to which US authorities are considering re-applying the so-called Magnitsky Act against Moraes.

  According to that report, Dino himself and Justice Gilmar Mendes could also be among the targets of potential sanctions linked to the proceedings underway at the STF.

  “This is the supreme court of a sovereign country. Therefore, this atmosphere of illegitimate pressure should be a cause for indignation—not just for the court, but for all Brazilians,” the justice stated during the session.

  The Magnitsky Act is used by the US government to impose sanctions on foreign nationals accused by Washington of specific human rights violations or acts of corruption.   Its mechanisms include restrictions on assets subject to US jurisdiction and limitations on conducting certain financial transactions.

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