Brazil Court Overturns Damages Against Deputy Over Anti-Trans Speech Citing Parliamentary Immunity

Overview

• The 4th Civil Panel of the Federal District appeals court unanimously overturned a R$200,000 collective-damages order against Deputy Nikolas Ferreira.
• Judges said parliamentary immunity shields remarks and gestures delivered from the Chamber floor during the exercise of a legislative mandate.
• The suit by Aliança Nacional LGBTI+ and Abrafh targeted a 2023 Women's Day speech in which Ferreira wore a wig, called himself “Deputada Nikole,” and claimed women were losing space to “men who feel like women.”
• A first-instance judge in Brasília had denied immunity, labeled the remarks hate speech, and imposed the damages before the appeal.
• The decision signals a wide reading of immunity for speeches inside Congress and could influence how future civil claims over discriminatory political speech move forward.