Brasilia, May 25 (RHC)-- Defense lawyers representing former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva have issued a statement thanking the United Nations Human Rights Committee for deciding to “hear the merits of all the complaints that President Lula brought against the government of Brazil outlining breaches in his human rights by subjecting him to an unfair trial and appeal.”

Authored by Cristiano Zanin Martins, Valeska Teixeira Martins, and Geoffrey Robertson QC, the statement noted that “the government of Brazil has been ordered to defend itself against all six of Lula's complaints to the United Nations Human Rights Committee in Geneva.” While the committee “did not consider Lula's life is at risk,” they strongly urged the Brazilian government to treat him in a way “that would not frustrate the committee's decision were it to decide in his favor.”

It signals that the Brazilian government, led by Senate-imposed president Michel Temer, should: “take Lula out of solitary confinement; give him access to medical treatment appropriate to his medical history; allow him to campaign in the Presidential elections guaranteeing his full political rights; and immediately unfreezing his assets to allow him access to a full legal defence.”

Failure to comply with these measures indicates that “the government of Brazil would be obstructing the United Nations Human Rights process and frustrating the results of its final decision.”

Earlier this week, the United Nations Committee for Human Rights said it was initiating a formal investigation into violations against fundamental judicial guarantees in Lula's case.

Despite his conviction and imprisonment on corruption, events that many legal experts and observers attribute to lawfare and a salacious mainstream media campaign, Lula has topped every 2018 electoral poll conducted by Vox Populi, Ibope, Datafolha, Data Poder 360, Instituto Parana, the National Confederation of Transportation/MDA and Ipsos.

Lula's two terms in office were marked by a slew of social programs, lifting millions of Brazilians out of poverty and removing the country from the United Nations World Hunger Map. He left office with a record approval rating of 83 percent in 2011, according to Datafolha.