Top court justice decides to keep Bolsonaro under house arrest
Justice Alexandre de Moraes of Brazil’s Supreme Court has decided to extend the term of house arrest granted to former President Jair Bolsonaro. 
Bolsonaro will remain monitored by an ankle tag and may only receive visitors with authorization from Justice Moraes, who is the reporting judge in the case. The decision was announced on Friday (Jul. 3).
The former president is also banned from using a cell phone and accessing social media – including through third parties – as well as from recording videos for the internet. Federal District military police officers will provide security at his home to prevent him from escaping.
Last year, Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison in the coup plot case. Then, after undergoing surgery, he was granted the right to serve 90 days of temporary house arrest, which expired on May 25. The onetime president is currently recovering from bacterial pneumonia.
Firearms
Justice Moraes also ordered the suspension of Bolsonaro’s gun permit and the seizure of ten pistols and rifles registered in his name.
The defense will have 48 hours to turn the weapons over to the Federal Police.
The decision was prompted by the repercussions of the case involving the seizure of one of Bolsonaro’s firearms from one of his private security guards.
Even though the Federal District civil police did not press charges against the former president (on the grounds that the firearm is legally registered and that Bolsonaro did not commit any crime), the judge ruled that the firearms must be seized.
Moraes also acknowledged that Bolsonaro did not commit a serious offense regarding the seizure of the weapon from his security guard. A serious offense could have led to the former president’s return to the prison in Brasília.
“Since no serious offense was committed during the period in which the detainee has been under humanitarian house arrest, the indicated impediments no longer apply,” the ruling reads.
Justice Moraes did not set a deadline for the end of the house arrest.
