Tacla Duran's defense rebuts Dallagnol, saying he "abused his position as prosecutor to lie and defame."

247 - The defense of lawyer Rodrigo Tacla Duran refuted accusations posted on social media by the coordinator of Operation Lava Jato, Deltan Dallagnol, that he had tried to deceive Interpol and, therefore, was not a trustworthy person. In a statement, lawyer Sebastian Suarez emphasizes that “Dallagnol acted in bad faith and deceived the Brazilian press and public opinion by disseminating false information about the complaint filed with Interpol by Rodrigo Tacla Duran.” The statement also claims that Dallagnol “abused his position as prosecutor to lie and defame.”

Tacla Duran's name resurfaced after the Attorney General of the Republic, Augusto Aras, said that he would... return Negotiations for a plea bargain with the lawyer. In 2017, Duran stated that he had made improper payments to a lawyer friend of Sergio Moro, who was the judge responsible for the Lava Jato cases in Curitiba. 

In the statement, Suarez emphasizes that in July 2018, Interpol "unanimously decided to cancel the red notice for the arrest of Rodrigo Tacla Duran requested by Brazilian authorities." The decision was reportedly based on "the understanding of the violation of laws, principles, treaties, and norms of international law, recognized by Brazil," the text says. 

“The Interpol Control Committee understood that the evidence presented by this defense was easily verifiable and sufficient to demonstrate that the actions of then-judge Sergio Moro violated the principle of impartiality due to magistrates, the principle of 'in dubio pro reo' and the presumption of innocence of Rodrigo Tacla Duran,” Suarez points out. 

“This unprecedented decision was a warning to the Brazilian State about the excesses, mistakes, poor quality of investigations, bias, and abuse of authority practiced by some magistrates and prosecutors responsible for Lava Jato, among whom is Mr. Deltan Dallagnol, who crossed the line of ethics and law by transforming this important investigation into an instrument of power and political dispute,” the defense states. 

Read the full text of the statement signed by lawyer Sebastian Suarez. 

Regarding the statements made by Mr. Deltan Dallagnol, who accused my client Rodrigo Tacla Duran of deceiving Interpol, it is necessary to clarify: 

1. On July 24, 2018, the Interpol Control Committee (CCF) unanimously decided to cancel the red notice for the arrest of Rodrigo Tacla Duran requested by Brazilian authorities. This decision was based on the understanding that there had been a violation of laws, principles, treaties, and norms of international law recognized by Brazil. 

2. This defense provided evidence to the Interpol Council of the serious abuses committed by the Brazilian authorities responsible for Operation Lava Jato and the persecution suffered by lawyer Rodrigo Tacla Duran, which violated the Interpol Statute, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the prerogatives of the legal profession, and compromised the impartiality of the judge in charge and due process of law. 

3. The Interpol Control Committee understood that the evidence presented by this defense was easily verifiable and sufficient to demonstrate that the actions of then-judge Sergio Moro violated the principle of impartiality due to magistrates, the principle of "in dubio pro reo" (benefit of the doubt), and the presumption of innocence of Rodrigo Tacla Duran, raising serious doubts that Rodrigo Tacla Duran could be subjected to a fair trial in Brazil. 

4. As a consequence of the aforementioned decision, the alert requested by Brazil was removed from its systems, as well as the respective communication to all member countries, this decision having binding scope and character for Brazil, since the request for international police cooperation was made by the OCN/Brazil.

5. The aforementioned decision has the scope and magnitude to classify Rodrigo Tacla Duran in the category of protected individuals. 

6. The Interpol panel's decision restored the truth and showed Brazil and the world that lawyer Tacla Duran is not a fugitive, but, on the contrary, a victim of relentless and obsessive persecution and abuse of authority orchestrated by a biased judge, Mr. Sergio Moro, who disregarded and disrespected the most basic principles of law. 

7. This unprecedented decision served as a warning to the Brazilian State about the excesses, errors, poor quality of investigations, bias, and abuse of authority perpetrated by some magistrates and prosecutors responsible for Lava Jato, including Mr. Deltan Dallagnol, who crossed the line of ethics and law by transforming this important investigation into an instrument of power and political dispute. 

8. Mr. Deltan Dallagnol acted in bad faith and misled the Brazilian press and public opinion by disseminating false information about the complaint filed with Interpol by Rodrigo Tacla Duran. In reality, Interpol made its decision after verifying the extremely serious acts committed by criminals disguised as champions of justice, such as Mr. Dallagnol, who abused his position as prosecutor to lie and defame. 

Sebastian Suarez 

Lawyer

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