Minister Dias Toffoli, of the STF (Supreme Federal Court), gave President Jair Bolsonaro (non-party) 10 days to explain the attacks on journalists accompanying the presidential delegation in Rome, during the G20 summit. The order responds to the request of the Sustainability Network to guarantee the work of the press and the integrity of the professionals who cover acts of the Presidency.
Then, according to the decision of the minister, the AGU (Attorney General of the Union) and the PGR (Attorney General of the Union) must manifest themselves. In the case of both bodies, the response period is five days.
For Rede, the president’s behavior towards journalists is “absolutely reprehensible and incompatible with the exercise of the position”, citing that Bolsonaro, on several occasions, physically threatened, embarrassed and defamed professionals. In addition, the party argues that the president’s actions lead supporters to repeat attacks on the press.
In Rome, where the chief executive traveled to a meeting of G20 leaders, a group of reporters, including the reporter from the sheet Ana Estela de Sousa Pinto was attacked by security guards accompanying Bolsonaro.
At around 4:55 pm (local time) on the 31st, when the president was still inside the Brazilian embassy, ​​an agent who declined to be identified pushed the reporter from sheet, saying that she should get away from the place. The journalist was pushed three more times, although she was in public places, where there should be no restrictions on the work of the press.
UOL columnist Jamil Chad was also attacked by security guards. When the reporter went to film the violence against GloboNews professionals and tried to identify the Italian policeman who committed the attack, a security guard pushed the journalist, grabbed his arm to twist him and took his cell phone.
Journalist denounces aggression at UN
Last Wednesday (3), the UN and Inter-American Commission on Human Rights reports received a complaint about the attacks suffered by Brazilian journalists.
The documents and videos were delivered to Irene Kahn, UN rapporteur for freedom of expression, and her counterpart at the Inter-American Commission, Pedro Vaca.
Signed by one of the victims, Jamil Chad, and by the jurist Paulo Lugon Arantes, the complaint reports what happened in Rome. According to UOL, both reporters are already considering an action in the coming days.
The document presented to international bodies speaks of “gratuitous violence perpetrated by the security forces escorting the president against journalists.” “If there was any reason, the journalists didn’t even receive any warning,” stated the complaint, drafted by Arantes.
In the petition, the journalist and the jurist ask the reporters to demand answers from Brazil on the violence and on the measures taken to investigate and punish those responsible for the attacks. The request also requests the publication of a statement on the facts and violations reported.
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