Man Convicted of Stalking in Minas Gerais for Over 60 Calls in One Day

A man in Minas Gerais, Brazil, has been convicted of stalking for persistently harassing his ex-partner, including making over 60 phone calls in a single day. The Tribunal de Justiça de Minas Gerais upheld a lower court's decision from the Comarca de São Gotardo, sentencing the defendant to pay R$ 4,000 in moral damages. The court also imposed a nine-month prison sentence, which was converted to a two-year conditional suspension, provided he adheres to justice-mandated conditions. Stalking, defined as repeated pursuit involving intrusive actions like persistent calls, messages, routine monitoring, or repeated unwanted approaches, has been a crime in Brazil since 2021. The victim, who was in a seven-year common-law relationship with the perpetrator and shared a daughter, experienced harassment after their breakup in August 2021. The defendant's actions included appearing at her workplace and attempting to force her into his car, as well as repeatedly driving past a restaurant where she was dining with friends. The defense's appeal, which argued that digital evidence lacked proper forensic examination and that the calls were solely for discussing their child, was rejected. The court found that the victim's testimony, witness accounts, and digital records collectively proved the stalking offense. The judge presiding over the case characterized the defendant's conduct as restricting the victim's freedom and invading her privacy, constituting psychological violence within a domestic violence context. The case is being handled under judicial secrecy.