Brazil

Organizations such as the National Association of Newspapers (ANJ) remained vigilant and denounced actions that undermine the defense and promotion of these freedoms and civil rights.

However, in the most recent period, the Federal Supreme Court (STF) adopted a measure that raises concerns about the protection of source confidentiality. In March, Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered a search of the residence of journalist Luís Pablo Conceição Almeida, following a publication on the Blog do Luís Pablo about the use of an official vehicle from the Maranhão Court of Justice by the family of Justice Flávio Dino, also a member of the STF.

Regarding this case, ANJ stated that “any crime eventually committed by journalism professionals must be investigated and punished in accordance with the law, with the right to defense and due process, always respecting the prerogatives of journalistic activity.” In Brazil, crimes against honor—libel, slander, and defamation—are established in the Penal Code, while the right of reply, guaranteed by the Federal Constitution, is regulated by Law 13,188/2015.

During this period, multiple judicial decisions affected journalistic content. In October, the São Paulo court ordered TV Band to pay damages to businessman Pablo Marçal and to remove reports containing expressions deemed offensive. That same month, the 7th Special Civil Court of Rio de Janeiro ordered the removal of a report by the outlet O Antagonista regarding a judicial decision related to the release of a person accused of theft.

Also in October, Jornal Plural, based in Curitiba, was required to remove two reports about Urbanização de Curitiba (URBS) and the Integrated Transportation Network. Subsequently, in December, the Ceará court notified Adriano Nogueira, president of Grupo O Otimista, of a judicial notice filed by a member of the Ceará state government, which questioned and discredited the outlet’s editorial line.

In January, the Amazonas Court of Justice ordered the removal of a report by Folha de S.Paulo on an analysis by the National Institute for Colonization and Agrarian Reform (Incra) concerning a carbon credit project involving relatives of former banker Daniel Vorcaro. The measure also extended to the reproduction of the content by Jornal de Brasília and its publication on the social media platform X.

In February, the Alagoas court ordered the removal of a report by the newspaper Tribuna do Sertão on investments by the Maceió Public Servants’ Pension Institute in Banco Master assets. That same month, another ruling ordered the removal of the name and image of a police chief in a report by the outlet Poder360, titled “Bahia police chief investigates case in which her lawyer is involved.”

Likewise, a judicial decision ordered the censorship and removal of a social media post by the outlet InfoAmazonia related to a report on an environmental conservation area in Rondônia. In addition, in December, the São Paulo court convicted journalist Barbara Gancia of insult over a 2022 social media comment involving the daughter of former President Jair Bolsonaro.

Despite these episodes, the period also saw rulings that strengthen press freedom. In November, the 9th Chamber of the Rio Grande do Sul Court of Justice overturned a ruling against journalist Rosane de Oliveira and the newspaper Zero Hora, part of Grupo RBS, which had ordered them to compensate Judge Iris Helena Medeiros Nogueira, former president of the court. The reports in question were based on public data regarding salaries.

In December, the same court annulled a ruling that had required Jornal do Povo, from Cachoeira do Sul, to grant a right of reply to Mayor Leandro Balardin over a report on property tax (IPTU) discounts. In its decision, the court emphasized that journalism is not limited to reproducing facts or documents but involves interpreting and contextualizing information for the public.

At the STF level, two decisions in February reaffirmed principles of transparency and freedom of expression. The court established that critical expressions and social mobilization campaigns are protected by this right. That same month, Justice Luiz Fux suspended a ruling by the Pará court that had ordered journalist Adriano Wilkson to remove videos posted on social media about measures taken by the Belém city government.

Another positive development was the sentencing to more than 10 years in prison of councilman José Eduardo Alves da Silva, in the state of Goiás, for his involvement in the 2018 murder of radio journalist Jefferson Pureza in the municipality of Edealina—breaking a pattern of impunity in crimes against journalists.

An encouraging development also took place on April 7, when the Brazilian government launched a national protocol to investigate crimes against journalists, prioritizing the protection of victims and coordination among police, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, and the Ministry of Justice to combat impunity. The measure, signed by Ministers Wellington César and Sidônio Palmeira on Brazil’s Journalists’ Day, aims to strengthen press freedom and is aligned with international human rights standards. The development of the National Protocol for the Investigation of Crimes against Journalists and Social Communicators was carried out with the collaboration of press freedom organizations.

Beyond the judicial sphere, the period was marked by threats, physical attacks, online harassment, and restrictions on journalistic work, particularly targeting women journalists, in several cases involving authorities or political actors.

In March, messages uncovered by the Federal Police revealed a plan by former banker Vorcaro to stage a robbery to attack columnist Lauro Jardim of the newspaper O Globo. That same month, journalist Andréia Sadi, from GloboNews, received threats and offensive messages after reporting on investigations related to that financial institution.

There were also online attacks against journalist Malu Gaspar, of O Globo, including misogynistic and offensive messages following reports involving public officials.

Regarding physical attacks, in October, radio host Jésus de Carvalho Chaves, from Rádio Canastra FM (Bambuí, Minas Gerais), was pushed inside the studio by priest Edson Augusto Teixeira after comments about the restoration of a church painting. In November, TV Globo producer Afonso Ferreira was assaulted in Brasília while covering illegal schemes involving the INSS, and that same month reporter Duda Dalponte was attacked by Flamengo fans during a live broadcast at Galeão Airport in Rio de Janeiro.

In December, soccer player Alexandro Bernabei, from Sport Club Internacional, ripped the headphones off reporter Nani Chemello, from Rádio Inferno, during a celebration at Beira-Rio stadium in Porto Alegre. That same month, journalists were pushed by legislative police while covering a protest by Congressman Glauber Braga in the Chamber of Deputies, where journalist Soane Guerreiro, from SBT, was injured after being elbowed.

There were also reports of insults, attacks, and restrictions on press work. In October, reporter Julia Fermino, from Jovem Pan (São Paulo), was targeted with racist attacks on social media after a police coverage. In March, journalist Alice Bastos Neves, from RBS TV, was insulted during a live broadcast ahead of the Campeonato Gaúcho final at Beira-Rio stadium. On the same day, a TV Jangadeiro crew, an SBT affiliate in Ceará, was prevented from entering Arena Castelão to cover the Campeonato Cearense final.

Earlier, in December, journalists were expelled from the floor of the Chamber of Deputies in Brasília during the occupation of the leadership table by Congressman Glauber Braga, and the broadcast by TV Câmara was interrupted.