Italian court authorizes Pizzolato's extradition
Henrique Pizzolato
The Italian Council of State authorized today (Sep 22) the extradition of Henrique Pizzolato, former Marketing Director at Banco do Brasil, sentenced to 12 years and seven months in prison as part of the mensalão case.
The judges rejected the appeal filed by Pizzolato's defense, stating that enough data had been produced on the conditions in Brazilian prisons which guarantee the enforcement of human rights in them. According to the court, the evidence was presented by both the government and Brazil's highest judicial authorities.
In June, the council decided to put off the ruling on the extradition until September, and demanded more documents and clarifications from the Brazilian government concerning the situation in the country's penitentiaries. Pizzolato's lawyers, in turn, insisted on the number of human rights violations in Brazilian detention centers. Late in August, Brazil turned in reports saying the sometime marketing director could serve his sentence in Brazil.
Before the ruling, which had been backed by lower courts, the Council of State agreed to hear for half an hour the arguments presented by Alessandro Sivelli, member of Pizzolato's defense team; Michele Gentioloni, representative for the Brazilian government; and Giuseppe Alvenzio, from Italy's Justice Ministry.
The fake passport used by Henrique Pizzolato to enter Italy carried his deceased brother's name.
Brazil's Prosecutor-General's Office pledged that the country will take the necessary action to carry out the decision to hand Pizzolato over to Brazilian law enforcement agents. In a note, Vladimir Aras, Secretary for International Cooperation at the Prosecutor-General's Office, described Italy's decision as “of the utmost importance”, as it shows that the country's prison facilities are fit to receive anyone serving time “with regards to their fundamental rights as set forth by the Constitution, laws, and treaties.”
Pizzolato was convicted of peculation, money laundering, and passive corruption during the mensalão trial in November, 2013. Carrying the passport of his brother Celso, deceased for 30 years, the ex-director fled to Italy and was arrested in February last year in Maranello for misrepresentation.
The mensalão case was a scheme whereby congressmen received illicit monthly payments, in exchange of which politicians would vote for government proposals. The scandal was unveiled in 2005 and the case named Penal Action 470 at the Supreme Court. As a result of the crackdown that followed, Pizzolato, along with bankers, bank employees, advertising executives, and congressmen were convicted.
Translated by Fabrício Ferreira
Fonte: Italian court authorizes Pizzolato's extradition
