Brazil Bar Association accused of seeking special treatment for detained influencer Deolane Bezerra

The São Paulo branch of the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB-SP) is under fire from investigators who allege it is pursuing preferential treatment for detained influencer and lawyer Deolane Bezerra. Bezerra, accused of laundering "an ocean of money" for the PCC criminal faction, is reportedly being held in a special "Sala de Estado-Maior" (Major's Room), a facility distinct from common prison cells.

Investigators involved in "Operation Vérnix," which led to Bezerra's arrest over a month ago, claim the OAB-SP has not sought similar accommodations for approximately 20 other lawyers currently imprisoned in standard cells across São Paulo. These lawyers are also suspected of involvement with criminal organizations.

Bezerra's defense team, led by criminal lawyer Aury Lopes Jr., has vehemently denied any links between the influencer and organized crime or illicit business activities. The OAB-SP has acted as an "amigo da corte" (friend of the court) in a habeas corpus petition filed by Bezerra's defense, seeking her transfer from Tupi Paulista prison, located about 600 kilometers from the state capital, to a Major's Room.

These special rooms, typically located within military or auxiliary force facilities, offer amenities such as private bathrooms, natural light, and air conditioning, contrasting sharply with the conditions in regular prison cells. Investigators, however, assert that such facilities specifically for lawyers held under preventive detention do not exist in São Paulo or other Brazilian states. They point out that two other lawyers were already in preventive detention at the Tupi Paulista facility before Bezerra's arrival, and they were not afforded such special treatment.