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The Attorney General of the Republic, Augusto Aras, asked the Public Ministry of the Federal District to investigate the attacks against professionals of the press during the act with undemocratic and unconstitutional guidelines in Brasilia, this Sunday (3).
President Jair Bolsonaro participated in the act and greeted supporters who defended, among other issues, the closure of Congress and the Federal Supreme Court (STF) and military intervention.
The head of the Federal Prosecutor’s Office sent a letter to the district MP because he understands that there is no place for an investigation by the PGR, since there are no people with privileged jurisdiction involved in the attacks.
“Such events, in the opinion of this Attorney General, are endowed with great gravity, considering the constitutional dimension of press freedom, an integral element of the fundamental nucleus of the Democratic Rule of Law,” says Aras.
The letter will be evaluated by the Attorney General of the Federal District Attorney, Fabiana Costa Oliveira Barreto.
- The international press reflects Bolsonaro’s movement in the undemocratic act
Press professionals were attacked in front of the Planalto Palace on Sunday (3) while covering the event. The team of the newspaper ‘O Estado de São Paulo’ was hit by kicks, punches, shoves and dragging.
May 3 is celebrated worldwide as World Press Freedom Day. The date is mentioned in Aras’ letter to the Federal District.
In broadcasting the protest on social media, the president said that he has “the armed forces on the people’s side” and that “he will not accept any more interference.” He also said that he asks “God we have no problems this week, because we have reached the limit.” He did not explain what he plans to do to avoid such interference or what the “limit” is.
A driver of “Estadão”, who supported the news team, was hit by a rasteira. Photographer Dida Sampaio, from the same newspaper, was pushed and kicked and beaten.
In total, a photographer, two journalists, and the newspaper driver were harassed and beaten, verbally or physically. According to the vehicle, they left the area in a safe area, sought help from the Military Police and they are doing well.
In addition to “Estadão”, there was an attack and an offensive against teams from “Folha de S.Paulo”, the O Globo newspaper and the “Poder360” website.
Jurists, politicians and entities react to Bolsonaro’s participation in an undemocratic act
The attacks were condemned by politicians, lawyers and institutions. See below, notes from press organizations:
- National Federation of Journalists (Fenaj)
“Today we publish a news manifesto on World Press Freedom Day. There we cite the survey of the attacks of the year and the cases that occurred on 1 and 2.
Our position is to condemn each and every attack against journalists. Today two photo reporters were attacked in Brasilia. We repudiate them all and ask for the support of society for journalism and journalists. ”
- Brazilian Press Association (ABI)
“Today, May 3, World Press Freedom Day, ironically, once again journalists and press professionals in Brazil suffered verbal and physical aggression by the followers of President Jair Bolsonaro. In Brasilia, protesters attacked with kicks, blows and professional morons from the newspaper ‘O Estado de São Paulo’.
Photographer Dida Sampaio recorded images of the president in front of the Planalto Palace ramp, on a small staircase in the restricted area for the press, when he was pushed by the protesters, who kicked and beat him. The newspaper’s host, Marcos Pereira, made a trip. The professionals left the site escorted by the Prime Minister. The journalists were insulted.
These violent acts are more serious because there is no condemnation from the president or government officials. On the contrary, it is the president himself and his ministers who incite attacks against the press and its professionals.
The Brazilian Press Association (ABI) stands in solidarity with those attacked and once again protests and draws the attention of Brazilian society to the dangerous escalation of aggression and violence by the followers of President Bolsonaro, not only in relation to professionals of the press as Authorities of the Republic and opponents “.
- National Association of Newspapers (ANJ)
“The National Association of Newspapers (ANJ) strongly condemns the assaults suffered by journalists and the conductor of the newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo when they covered the acts carried out this Sunday (3) in Brasilia.
In addition to attacking those who practiced their professional activities in a cowardly manner, the attackers directly attacked their own press freedom. Attempting against the free exercise of journalistic activity is also damaging the right of citizens to be freely informed.
ANJ hopes that the responsible authorities identify the aggressors, that they are brought to justice and punished in accordance with the law. ”
- Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism and OAB Press Freedom Observatory
“Such attacks are encouraged by the behavior and speech of President Jair Bolsonaro. 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 Supporters: It is unacceptable for pro-government activists to take to the streets with the express goal of intimidating media professionals, when journalism was defined by the federal government as an essential activity during the pandemic.
The deterioration of press freedom, promoted by elected officials and public officials, is a serious risk to democracy. Abraji and the OAB Press Freedom Observatory accuse Republican institutions of protecting society’s right to information. The three powers, in all three spheres, cannot be passive in the face of physical and symbolic violence against journalists, and must punish aggression and react to undemocratic speeches. ”
- Newspaper “O Estado de S. Paulo”
“The board and journalists of O Estado de S. Paulo strongly reject the acts of violence committed today against their team of journalists during a demonstration in front of the Planalto Palace in support of President Jair Bolsonaro.
It is a cowardly attack on the newspaper, the press and democracy. Violence, even from the pantry and power, never intimidated us. It only encourages us to proceed with the denunciations of the acts of a government that, elected in a democratic process, less than a year and a half later gives all the signs that it is deviating towards arbitration and violence.
Given the nature of this Sunday’s events, we hope that the criminal and civil investigation of the assaults will be carried out by independent public agents, not linked to the federal authorities, who, through action and inaction, joined the process in sabotage course by the democratic regime. ”
