June 5, 2025

A court has sentenced comedian Leo Lins to more than eight years in prison for inciting intolerance through a stand-up performance viewed by over three million people on YouTube.

On Tuesday 3 June, Brazilian comedian Leo Lins was sentenced to over eight years in prison for making discriminatory remarks in a stand-up routine that targeted a wide range of minority groups — including black people, obese individuals, elderly people, those living with HIV, homosexuals, evangelicals, Indigenous communities, people from the impoverished northeast of Brazil, Jews, and people with disabilities.

The federal court in São Paulo ruled that the right to freedom of expression is not absolute, and when it comes into conflict with human dignity, the latter must prevail. Lins’s defence team has announced plans to appeal the verdict.

Source: Comedian sentenced to eight years

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