ANJ (National Association of Newspapers) and Abraji (Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism) state that the plan to attack journalist Lauro Jardim, from the newspaper O Globo, constitutes an attack on the rule of law and freedom of expression.
Daniel Vorcaro, owner of Banco Master, this Wednesday (4) by order of the minister, of the (Supreme Federal Court), after an investigation by the Federal Police found that they cited the intention of staging an assault on the journalist as a form of intimidation.
“This Lauro, I want to have him beaten up. Break all his teeth. In a robbery”, says a message attributed to Vorcaro. The former banker’s defense denied, in a statement, “allegations attributed to him”.
Lauro Jardim’s column in O Globo revealed a lawyer linked to the Master case to watch the Libertadores final in Peru. It also showed one, Viviane Barci, after she was hired to defend the Master.
The ANJ note calls Vorcaro’s intentions “criminal” and states that the “attempt to intimidate a press professional through violence constitutes an unacceptable attack on freedom of expression.”
“Methods of this nature, typical of mafia practices, are incompatible with the Rule of Law and deserve the firmest rejection from Brazilian society”, states the association.
The association also congratulates the Federal Police for discovering the threats and Minister André Mendonça for the measures adopted.
Abraji, in turn, says that the revelation that he considered planning a violent robbery, or simulating a similar scenario, is “appalling” and that the conduct narrated represents an attack on press freedom and the physical integrity of communication professionals.
According to the entity, this is an attack on the democratic rule of law. “The association hopes that Vorcaro and the other names involved are also punished for the crime against the press and democracy, which is done with the right to inform and be informed.”
The organization also recalls that journalists were threatened for investigating the case. Journalist Malu Gaspar, also from O Globo, was the target of attacks after publishing reports about Moraes and Viviane’s links to the case.
“Abraji emphasizes that threats, intimidation or attempts to embarrass journalists due to their work cannot be tolerated under any circumstances. The exercise of journalism is protected by the Constitution and constitutes an essential pillar of democracy.”
The newspaper O Globo published a statement saying it vehemently repudiated the criminal initiatives planned against the columnist and that the action aimed to silence the voice of the press, a fundamental pillar of democracy.
“Those involved in this criminal plot must be investigated and punished to the fullest extent of the law. Globo and its journalists will not be intimidated by threats and will continue to follow the case and bring light to information of public interest”, adds the newspaper.
