In a shocking incident at the Court of Justice of the Federal District in Brazil, lawyer Gustavo Coutinho was denied participation in a trial due to his attire representing the Candomblé , a version of Yoruba religion in Brazil . The incident took place on Wednesday 28th ,June , 2023 , and has raised concerns about religious freedom and discrimination within the legal system.
Gustavo Coutinho, a 30-year-old lawyer, was scheduled to defend his client during the trial but was prevented from entering the courtroom. When it was his turn to present his arguments, the presiding judge interrupted him, raising a “point of order” regarding his attire.
The judge cited decorum as the reason for disallowing Coutinho to speak, emphasizing that the lawyer’s clothing should be in line with the court’s rituals and respectful towards the institution. Although the judge stated that his decision was not based on religious or racial prejudice, he firmly maintained that matters of personal belief or initiation rituals were unsuitable within the court.
Coutinho revealed that the presiding judge compared his situation to that of another lawyer who presented arguments while driving and using a messaging app. The judge questioned how long Coutinho intended to continue wearing attire associated with the Candomblé religion, referring to the period of initiation in the religion.
Two alternatives were proposed by the judge: either postponing the trial or allowing Coutinho to send an audio message via WhatsApp, similar to the lawyer who presented their case while driving. However, as long as Coutinho remained dressed in Candomblé attire, he was not permitted to speak. In the interest of their client, the appellate judges voted to proceed with Coutinho’s colleague conducting the oral statement. Consequently, the proceedings concluded under these circumstances, as described by Coutinho.
Expressing his intention to seek legal action, Gustavo Coutinho plans to contact the National Council of Justice and the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB) to address the incident. The denial of his participation in the trial based on his religious attire has sparked concerns about religious freedom and possible discrimination within the legal system.
Ancestrals reached out to the court for a response, but no statement has been received . The incident continues to garner attention, with many calling for an investigation into the matter and appropriate measures to ensure that such incidents do not occur again in the future.
