BRAZILIA, Brazil.- The Supreme Court of Brazil will review a new recourse to the defense of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, sentenced to 12 years in prison on charges of passive corruption and money laundering.

Five ministers are part of the Fifth Court of Justice, but one of them, Joel Paciornik, declared himself impeded, so only four will judge the appeal that seeks to reverse the conviction against the former workers’ leader.

In the face of accusations, the founder of the Workers’ Party insists that he is a victim of real political persecution and he will fight to the end for his dignity.

For the defense lawyers, Lula is the victim of a real judicial manhunt by an agent who misused legal records to pursue a citizen politically.