A criminal law approach to terrorism in Brazil

Abstract

The goal of this thesis is to present how Brazilian law treats terrorism. In particular, it seeks to develop a model bearing the core characteristics that an effective criminal law must have to fit the country’s reality. We intend to conduct a thorough critical analysis of the current law, and present the requirements to design an adequate one. Therefore, the study path starts with an overview of Law 7170/83, which allegedly criminalizes terrorism in Brazil. Next, we will show how international laws and agreements signed by Brazil obligate the country to have a law against terrorism. Finally, the text will show that adoption of a criminal law is one of the several approaches to dealing with terrorism and how civil liberties can be affected by the decision to criminalize such acts. In this context, and to show foreign experiences, we will use the comparative method to study the experience of six countries regarding criminal law dealing with terrorism: Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, the United States of America, the United Kingdom of Great Britain, and Northern Ireland.