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The ministers of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) demonstrated in reaction to the act carried out in Brasilia by a group of supporters of President Jair Bolsonaro, this Sunday (3). The journalists covering the demonstration, in front of the Planalto Palace, were attacked with kicks, punches and blows. STF Minister Carmen Lúcia He stated that “anyone who violates and offends press freedom, offends the Constitution, democracy and Brazilian citizenship.” According to Cármen Lúcia, this “means acting unconstitutionally.”
Another STF minister, Gilmar MendesHe affirmed that “the attack on journalists is an attack on freedom of expression and an attack on democracy itself.” “This has to be clear,” he added.
The statements of Carmén Lúcia and Gilmar Mendes were made during their participation in a live Internet broadcast promoted by the Brazilian Public Institute of Public Law (IDP).
STF Minister Alexandre de Moraes He also declared that the episode should be repudiated “for the cowardice of the act and for the damage to Democracy and the Rule of Law”. “Attacks against journalists must be repudiated for the cowardice of the act and for the damage to Democracy and the Rule of Law, and cannot be tolerated by the Institutions and by the Society,” Moraes said in a publication on Twitter.
Previously, another STF minister, Luis Roberto BarrosoHe had already defended press freedom and professional journalism as a way to combat “hatred, lies and intolerance”. “Press freedom day. More than ever, we need quality professional journalism, with duly verified information, in search of the possible truth, even if it is plural. In this way we fight against hatred, lies and intolerance” , Barroso published in the early afternoon on a social network.
Abraji and OAB talk about the risk to democracy and demand a reaction
The advice of Abraji (Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism) and the OAB Press Freedom Observatory (Brazilian Bar Association) They also signed a joint note on Sunday (3), in repudiation of “cowardly attacks” against journalists, “in the midst of World Press Freedom Day.” The entities describe this Sunday’s episode, recall other recent attacks, and argue that “such events show the growing risk to which the President of the Republic’s belligerent and outrageous speech exposes Brazilian journalists.”
“Such assaults are encouraged by behavior and behavior
President Jair Bolsonaro’s speech. His attacks on the media,
Conspiracy theories and offensive behavior foster a climate of
hostility towards the press, in addition to serving as an example and legitimizing the
criminal behavior of his supporters. It is unacceptable that militants
pro-government to go outside with the express goal of intimidating
professionals of the press, when the federal government itself defined the
journalism as an essential activity during the pandemic, “say the entities, in
Excerpt from the note.
Abraji and OAB also demanded a reaction from the institutions: “The
deterioration of press freedom, promoted by elected officials and
public servants, is a serious risk to democracy. Abraji and the Observatory
OAB accuses press freedom of republican institutions that
protect the right of society to information. The three powers, in the three
spheres, cannot be passive in the face of physical and symbolic violence
against journalists, and must punish aggression and react to speeches
undemocratic. “
Maia: “Group confuses politics with poignant terror”
Other officials have also spoken out against the act of the pro-Bolsonaro group. The president of the Chamber of Deputies, Rodrigo Maia (DEM-RJ)He has already declared that it is up to democratic institutions to impose “a legal order on this group that confuses making politics with moving terror.” “Yesterday the nurses were threatened. Today the journalists were attacked. Tomorrow anyone who opposes their worldview,” said Maia.
On Twitter, Maia showed solidarity with journalists.
attacked and asked that justice be swift to punish criminals
Maia also claimed that in Brazil, in addition to fighting
coronavirus, there is also one against the “extremism virus”, “whose
worst effect is to ignore science and deny reality. ” “The path will be more
difficult, but democracy and Brazilians who want peace will win, “he said.
