MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Bolsonaro questioned over freedom of press by UN

The head of state replied a deal between the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) and Whatsapp was also a “clear interference in freedom of expression”

Amid growing concerns on the part of the United Nations regarding attacks on the press, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro announced he had requested a meeting with representatives of the WhatsApp application to have it increase the number of participants in messaging groups.

Bolsonaro had threatened last Friday not to comply with a likely TSE resolution regarding a new WhatsApp tool. Their agreement with the TSE is a “clear interference in freedom of expression,” the president stressed.

Brazil's Superior Electoral Court (TSE) agreed with WhatsApp that the “Community” tool be enabled after the October elections in order to avoid the mass firing of fake news, as happened in 2018 when Bolsonaro was elected.

“If WhatsApp can make an agreement with the TSE, it can also make an agreement with me,” Bolsonaro stressed. “Why not?”

“I'm going to look for the CEO of WhatsApp, I want to see what agreement is that ”signed with the TSE,“ he explained.

Meanwhile, the United Nations formally issued a document requesting the Brazilian government to explain the ”allegations of violent attacks, siege, threats, and intimidation against journalists.“

The UN Human Rights Council reported alleged attacks have been carried out ”including by high-level public officials, in particular against journalists covering corruption, violent crime and the government's response to the pandemic“ of COVID-19.

The UN insisted the government should ”respond to allegations of verbal attacks, including by high-ranking state officials, against officials of the Judiciary, including the Supreme Court.“

The questionnaire is part of the preliminary work by the UN before preparing a report on the human rights situation in Bolsonaro's Brazil.

The UN also demanded to know about the situation faced by women under the administration of a president who has declared himself against ”gender ideology“ and what measures have been adopted against ”obstacles to women's political participation and to protect women who participate in electoral processes against harassment and threats.”

(Source: ANSA)