Lawyers for former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro filed an appeal on Monday seeking to reduce his 27-year prison sentence handed down for plotting a coup to remain in power after the 2022 presidential election.

According to a Reuters report, the defense submitted an 85-page motion to the Supreme Federal Court (STF) requesting a review of several elements of Bolsonaro’s conviction, including the length of the prison term. The filing did not specify the extent of the sentence reduction being sought.

Conviction and legal basis

Last month, a five-judge panel of the STF convicted Bolsonaro on five counts, including participation in an armed criminal organization, attempting to violently abolish democracy, and organizing a coup. Four of the five justices voted to convict, while one, Justice Luiz Fux, voted for acquittal.

Bolsonaro’s lawyers argue that the conviction constitutes “deep injustices,” claiming he was wrongfully punished for overlapping crimes.

“There would be no reason for such cumulative penalties,” the defense stated, referring to the charges of both organizing a coup and attempting to abolish democracy.

They also cited Fux’s dissent as evidence of “accusatory excess,” calling for a “rigorous dogmatic examination” of the case.

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Limited scope for appeal

Under Brazilian law, major appeals of Supreme Court rulings require at least two dissenting votes. With only one justice dissenting in Bolsonaro’s case, his lawyers instead filed a motion of clarification, a procedural request to review or correct potential judicial errors within the ruling.

“This motion of clarification is the only possibility of correcting errors that would otherwise become definitive,” the defense wrote.

A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that the Supreme Court panel is expected to vote on the defense motion in November. Bolsonaro will only begin serving time after all appeals are exhausted.

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House arrest and political backdrop

The former far-right leader has been under house arrest since August, accused of seeking interference from US President Donald Trump after Washington imposed 50% tariffs on Brazilian imports and sanctioned the judge overseeing Bolsonaro’s case.

Bolsonaro has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, insisting that his conviction was politically motivated. His sentencing in September marked a historic moment in Brazil, the first time a former president was convicted of attempting to overthrow the country’s democratic order.

The case has deepened divisions within Brazil, where Bolsonaro retains a strong base among conservative and military-aligned sectors, while President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s government has vowed to safeguard democratic institutions against coup attempts.

The upcoming court decision will determine whether Bolsonaro’s sentence could be reduced or upheld in full, a ruling expected to shape Brazil’s political landscape ahead of the 2026 elections.

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