Brazilian comedian Leo Lins has been sentenced to more than eight years in prison for making discriminatory remarks during a stand-up comedy performance that prosecutors argued incited hatred and intolerance.
A federal court in São Paulo handed down the sentence on Tuesday, ruling that Lins’s comments—delivered in a 2022 show titled Perturbador (“Disturbing”)—violated Brazil’s anti-discrimination laws. The routine targeted multiple marginalized groups, including Black people, Indigenous communities, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, the elderly, and others.
The court determined that the comedian’s jokes exceeded the bounds of free speech and contributed to what it described as “the spread of verbal violence in society.” The ruling emphasized that freedom of expression is not an absolute right and must be balanced against the principle of human dignity.
In addition to the prison term, Lins was ordered to pay 300,000 reais (approximately €54,000) in collective moral damages.
The performance, which was posted to YouTube, had garnered over three million views before a separate court ruling in 2023 ordered the video’s removal. The São Paulo court cited the broad public dissemination of the material as an aggravating factor in the sentencing.
Lins’s legal team has announced plans to appeal the decision. His lawyer criticized the severity of the punishment, stating: “Watching a comedian receive the same punishment as someone convicted of drug trafficking, corruption, or even murder, all because of jokes told on stage, is deeply troubling.”
The verdict has sparked debate across Brazil’s entertainment and legal communities. Prominent comedians have expressed concern over the implications for artistic freedom. Antonio Tabet, creator of the satirical group Porta dos Fundos, commented on social media platform X: “You might not find Leo Lins’s jokes funny — you might even detest them — but sentencing someone to prison over them is madness and harmful. I hope this irrational decision is overturned.”
Fellow comedian Jonathan Nemer echoed the sentiment, saying Brazil has become “a country that takes comedians’ jokes seriously but treats politicians’ actions as a joke.”
The case highlights an ongoing national discussion in Brazil about the limits of humor, the responsibilities of public figures, and the balance between free speech and protection from hate speech.
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