The Brazilian Bar Association (OAB) and the Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism (Abraji) condemn Bolsonaro's attack on freedom of expression.

247 - The Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism (Abraji) and the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB) issued a joint statement repudiating the attack based on fake news made by President Jair Bolsonaro against journalist Constança Rezende, from the newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo, and her father, journalist Chico Otávio, from the newspaper O Globo (Read more on Brasil 247). According to the organizations, "when a leader mobilizes a significant part of the population to attack journalists and media outlets, he undermines one of the pillars of democracy: the existence of a free and critical press."

In the statement, both Abraji and the OAB emphasized that Bolsonaro's latest attack against journalists was carried out using "false information. This shows not only a disregard for the veracity of the facts, which in itself would be serious, but also the use of his position of power to try to intimidate media outlets and journalists, an attitude incompatible with his discourse of defending freedom of expression."

The statement emphasizes that "groups supporting Bolsonaro have disseminated and amplified distorted statements by reporter Constança Rezende, from O Estado de S.Paulo, on social media to fuel the government's narrative that the press lies when referring to investigations into the atypical financial transactions of Fabrício Queiroz, former driver of Senator Flávio Bolsonaro."

"The Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism (Abraji) and the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB) join together at this time in condemning any attempt to intimidate journalists. Professionals attacked for doing their job will always have our support," the text concludes.

Read the full note.

On Sunday night, President Jair Bolsonaro launched another public attack on the press, this time using false information. This demonstrates not only a disregard for factual accuracy, which in itself would be serious, but also the use of his position of power to try to intimidate media outlets and journalists, an attitude incompatible with his discourse of defending freedom of expression. When a leader mobilizes a significant portion of the population to attack journalists and media outlets, he undermines one of the pillars of democracy: the existence of a free and critical press.

The wave of attacks on Sunday began before the president's speech. Groups supporting Bolsonaro spread and amplified distorted statements by reporter Constança Rezende, from O Estado de S.Paulo, on social media to fuel the government's narrative that the press lies when referring to investigations into the atypical financial transactions of Fabrício Queiroz, former driver of Senator Flávio Bolsonaro. As is common in this type of attack, Constança's family also became a target. The serious aspect of this episode is that the president himself instigated this behavior by citing as evidence of an alleged conspiracy that Constança is the daughter of a journalist from O Globo.

The Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism (Abraji) and the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB) join together in condemning any attempt to intimidate journalists. Professionals attacked for doing their job will always have our support.

Abraji Board of Directors

Felipe Santa Cruz - President of the Federal Council of the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB)

Pierpaolo Cruz Bottini - coordinator of the Press Freedom Observatory of the Federal Council of the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB).