Débora do Batom Gets Semi-Open Regime, Stays at Home

Society: Brazil

Débora do Batom, the woman who wrote “Perdeu, mané” in lipstick on a statue outside Brazil’s Supreme Court during the 8 January 2023 riots, has been moved to the semi-open regime. In practice little changes for now, because Justice Moraes kept her under house arrest, which he called the more favourable way to serve her sentence.

Her case is one of the best-known of the January 8 prosecutions, when supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro stormed the seats of Brazil’s three branches of government in Brasília. US readers who follow Brazil’s politics and the legal fallout of that day will recognise the name.

What We Know

Moraes granted the change of regime after the federal prosecutor’s office (PGR) backed it, according to Migalhas and Gazeta do Povo. He also recognised 212 new days of sentence reduction for prison work, reading and study, on top of two days credited earlier.

Those days break down as 108 for work, 100 for passing the national school exam ENEM in 2023, and four for reading one book. Her defence had asked for 281 days. Moraes followed the prosecutors and refused extra credit for a second ENEM result in 2024.

Under Brazilian law, a prisoner can move up a regime after serving a share of the sentence. In her case that share was 25%, or three years and six months.

The decision says she had served three years, six months and 14 days of effective time. With remission counted, the total reached four years, one month and 16 days on 1 October, according to Gazeta do Povo.

Moraes found that the subjective requirement was also met, because there was no record of serious misconduct or of breaching her electronic monitoring since she went home.

The Case Behind the Name

On 8 January 2023, Débora wrote “Perdeu, mané”, roughly “you lost, pal”, in lipstick on the “A Justiça” statue in front of the Supreme Court.

On 25 April 2025, the court’s First Panel convicted her. The sentence was 14 years: 12 years and six months of reclusão (the harsher form of prison term) plus one year and six months of detenção, starting in the closed regime.

The charges included armed criminal association, attempted violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, coup d’état and damage to protected heritage. Gazeta do Povo reported that Moraes, Cármen Lúcia and Flávio Dino backed 14 years, Cristiano Zanin proposed 11 and Luiz Fux argued for one year and six months.

She has served her sentence under house arrest since March 2025, with an ankle monitor. Our earlier reporting covers how the court counts time toward January 8 sentences.

What Is Not Known

Brazilian outlets disagree on what the new regime changes at home. Agência Brasil reports that she may now leave the house during the day, while her defence says nothing changes immediately.

Her defence said any new permissions would be reviewed later and granted gradually with court approval. It also lamented the delay in recognising the progression.

The updated sentence calculation, with the final date she could reach the next regime or finish her term, has not been published. One outlet reported a cut to 10 years, but the other reports on the decision, and the arithmetic of the 25% threshold, use 14 years, so we use that figure.

What It Means for US Readers

The ruling shows that January 8 sentences are still being worked through one case at a time, even as Brazil heads to a presidential runoff on 25 October 2026. The length of those sentences remains a live argument inside Brazil.

For readers tracking the court and its justices, see also our coverage of the court freezing January 8 sentence reductions and the wider Brazil section.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Débora do Batom?

Débora Rodrigues dos Santos is a hairdresser convicted over the 8 January 2023 riots in Brasília. She wrote “Perdeu, mané” in lipstick on the Justice statue outside the Supreme Court.

What did Justice Moraes decide?

He moved her to the semi-open regime and recognised 212 days of sentence reduction. He kept her under house arrest, which he described as more favourable than the semi-open regime.

Is she going back to prison?

No. According to the reports, she stays at home under house arrest, where she has been since March 2025.

How long is her sentence?

The Supreme Court’s First Panel sentenced her on 25 April 2025 to 14 years. That is the figure Brazilian outlets cite in coverage of the new decision.