Violence against journalists is an attack on democracy – 01/26/2023 – Education

The terrorist and coup attacks on the Three Powers on January 8 did not only attack Brazilian public property, promoting the destruction of works of art and historic furniture in the most important buildings in Brasília (DF). Another type of violence, which also reaches the heart of democracy, was recorded on that date, but little talked about in the face of the deplorable scenes of the Bolsonarist invasion: violence against journalists. According to the Brazilian Press Association (ABI), at least 15 professionals were attacked on the occasion, with incidents ranging from verbal intimidation to physical attacks, including the breaking of cell phones and photographic equipment.

Such cases constitute the apex of the process of resurgence of violence against the press that Brazil has been experiencing in recent years. Assaults against journalists, unfortunately, have already become routine. According to a survey by the National Federation of Journalists (FENAJ), in 2022, 376 cases were registered. The data appears in the latest edition of the Report on Violence against Journalists and Freedom of the Press in Brazil, released in recent days. It is worth remembering that, according to the organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the country is in 110th position in the world press freedom ranking, which uses information from 180 countries.

The Brazilian scenario is no exception in this escalation of threats to the lives of professionals in the area. A report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) published this month shows that deaths of journalists increased by 50% in 2022, registering 86 deaths worldwide – the equivalent of one every four days.

In this context, the news that the Ministry of Justice will create the Observatory of Violence against Journalists is very welcome, as it delegates to the public authorities the task of helping to protect a fundamental right not only of journalism workers, but of society as a whole Brazil: freedom of the press.

Just as freedom of expression does not give a citizen the right to say what they want without the consequences provided for in the Constitution, freedom of the press is not simply synonymous with journalists writing and publishing what they want. It seems naive to say, but there is still a lack of general understanding that this is a right linked to the right to information, and that any aggression against a professional in this area, in addition to being unjustified, is also a demonstration of hatred for democracy . Criticism of vehicles and their respective editorial lines must be made within constitutional limits, without referring to the dictatorial period, in which reporters were persecuted, arrested and tortured.

Although the delegitimization of the work of the press is not a phenomenon of the last four years, this process has worsened in a worrying way. The causes for this are diverse, such as the financial uncertainty of the media and the intensification of the post-truth phenomenon, with the consequent profusion of misinformation. But when we talk about protecting democracy from attacks like those seen on January 8, this issue cannot be seen as secondary. The strengthening of journalistic practice and the protection of its professionals are basic requirements for the sustainability of any democratic system.