The Committee to Protect Journalists joined five other rights organizations to call on Brazilian presidential candidates to denounce the threats and violence against journalists covering the electoral campaign, and urge their supports to stop harassing reporters.
The October 25 statement details harassment faced by reporters including Patrícia Campos Mello, from Folha de S. Paulo, who was threatened over her coverage of allegations about a campaign by a group of businessmen supporting presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro. The statement also includes details of violations against the press documented by the Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism, one of the groups that signed the statement.
“The threats against Patrícia Campos Mello and other journalists are an alarming escalation of anti-press rhetoric in this contentious electoral cycle in Brazil,” said CPJ Central and South America Program Coordinator Natalie Southwick. “Journalists covering the Brazilian presidential election must be able to work freely and safely while reporting on issues of public interest. We call on candidates from all parties to respect press freedom and refrain from inflammatory statements against the media, and to urge their supporters to stop harassing and threatening journalists.”
Read the full statement in English and Portuguese.