Two former military policemen are sentenced to 78 and 59 years in prison, respectively, for the murder of politician Marielle Franco in Brazil in 2014. The two men were arrested as early as 2019 and confessed to the murder during a two-day trial that ended on Thursday.
Brazilian law does not allow for life imprisonment, and the men will not serve more than 30 years of their sentences.
Thursday's verdict is, however, seen as only a step towards justice. Another trial is expected, where two men are accused of ordering Franco's murder.
The murder of Marielle Franco, who sat on Rio de Janeiro's city council, received widespread attention, both in Brazil and internationally, as she was prominent in the fight for the defense of, among other things, human rights for the black population and for LGBTQ people.
Franco was also sharp in her criticism of police brutality, not least in Rio de Janeiro's slums.
She was shot by perpetrators in a passing car in March 2018. Her driver was also shot to death in the attack in central Rio de Janeiro.
