Commission in the Chamber debates “institutionalization of censorship in Brazil”

The Communication Commission of the Chamber of Deputies held, this Thursday (11), a public hearing to discuss the “institutionalization of censorship in Brazil” and set up a subcommittee on “combating censorship”. The request for the hearing was presented by Deputy Gustavo Gayer (PL-GO).

According to Gayer, “a series of measures have been implemented by the judiciary” in order to restrict the right to freedom of expression in recent years. “These measures include the prohibition of content considered ‘offensive’, the censorship of words and themes considered ‘inappropriate’ and the prohibition of communication vehicles from transmitting certain subjects”, declared the parliamentarian.

Gayer reinforced the need to discuss the effects of these measures and “start working together to find solutions that are fair and that respect the fundamental rights of all Brazilians.”

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Journalists and political communicators, such as Rodrigo Constantino, Bárbara Destefani (from the channel I updated you), Paulo Figueiredo and Zoe Martinez, who suffered directly from the restriction of freedom of expression imposed by Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), participated in the hearing.

“Someone needs a crime to be accused. At least until now in Brazil there was no crime of opinion. And yet I am inside a STF inquiry without jurisdiction and without anything. To this day I don’t know what crime I committed to have my networks suspended. It is not normal for a journalist to be accused of his opinions and criticism of the government”, criticized Figueiredo.

Constantino informed, at the hearing, that he has had his social networks suspended for four months, in addition to his bank accounts being blocked and his passport cancelled. The order against his social networks came from Minister Alexandre de Moraes in the context of the so-called “Fake News Inquiry” (4,781). “I look sadly at what happens in Brazil. I see figures of bandits free, light and loose and me being treated like a criminal”, said the columnist for People’s Gazette.

Journalist Bárbara Destefani, who has also had the networks suspended since January 14, claimed that so far she has not had access to the case file. She said she was not notified and does not even know the reasons for the personal account being taken down.

Bárbara reported the fear of exposing opinions in Brazil and cited a series of reports that were censored in recent years. “We need to feel safe, and I’m pretty unsure of whether to voice any opinion,” she said.

Representatives of Google, Twitter and Meta were invited to take a stand on legal measures against opinions and words and the suspension of profiles. Google and Meta did not attend due to scheduling incompatibility. In a letter sent to the commission, Twitter reinforced its position against “illegal censorship” and defended freedom of expression.

In addition to the hearing, the parliamentarians installed a subcommittee focused on combating censorship. The president will be Gustavo Gayer, and the rapporteur will be with Nikolas Ferreira (PL-MG). Deputies Filipe Barros (PL-PR); Júlia Zanatta (PL-SC) and Mário Frias (PL-SP) are also part of the collegiate.

PL of Fake News

During the hearing, there was no lack of criticism of Bill 2630, better known as PL das Fake News, which has been heavily criticized by big techs and opposition parliamentarians for instrumentalizing censorship in the country. Jurists consulted by People’s Gazette pointed out worrying aspects of the proposal in relation to freedom of expression in social networks.

In the assessment of congresswoman Caroline de Toni (PL-PR), if the project is approved, persecution and censorship will be even more intensified. “Without the Fake News PL we are already being censored when we say the opposite of what they want. Imagine when it is approved? This worries us. It is for freedom that we are fighting here”, she said.

Deputy Filipe Barros (PL-PR) attributed the postponement of the Fake News PL vote to popular pressure and demanded the presence of the people in the streets in defense of fundamental rights. “PL 2630 was only defeated thanks to popular pressure, but I believe that all abuses will only end with the people on the street to fight censorship. We want freedom of opinion, and that those who commit abuses respond within the law and not with arbitrariness by a minister of the STF”, said the deputy.

In order to contain the alleged arbitrariness of the STF in relation to freedom of expression and the prohibition of access to the records, some parliamentarians demanded the analysis of the impeachment requests of some ministers of the STF and the opening of the CPI on Abuse of Authority. Marcel van Hattem (Novo-RS) informed that there are only 33 signatures left to officially present the CPI request.

Among the points to be investigated by the CPI are the violation of fundamental rights and guarantees provided for in the Constitution, the practice of arbitrary conduct without observing due process of law, in addition to the adoption of censorship and acts of abuse of authority against parliamentarians, media outlets and citizens.

anti-censorship bill

Deputies presented, this Wednesday (10), a bill that intends to include crimes of censorship and platform confiscation in the Law of Abuse of Authority. The text also adds, among the crimes of responsibility (of which one of the penalties is impeachment), the act of determining the removal of political or ideological content from platforms or other means of dissemination.

“A public agent who determines the removal of political content on a private social network is violating the fundamental right to freedom of expression and must be held accountable. In short, this is what the anti-censorship Bill proposes; Congress can and should enter into this discussion in defense of freedom of expression for Brazilians”, clarified deputy Gilson Marques (Novo-SC).