Santa Rita Council Approves Tight Rule for Remote Participation by Jailed Councilors

Overview

• On January 5, the Santa Rita (PB) city council passed a resolution 10–9 to allow remote participation by councilors in custody under constrained conditions.
• The rule requires a prior, justified request and limits virtual attendance to exceptional scenarios such as court‑authorized detention, serious health issues, official missions, declared emergencies, or verified threats.
• The chamber stated the measure does not grant unrestricted remote voting and that any participation would occur only in narrowly defined circumstances.
• The change was advanced after a favorable opinion from the council’s Constitution and Justice Committee and was presented as preserving the presumption of innocence and updating procedures.
• The measure could affect Wagner de Bebé, arrested in October on a homicide suspicion and currently afastado, with his substitute Cláudio Marçal holding the seat, as the state prosecutor’s office now investigates the rule.