(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Minister of Justice José Gregori, RSF protested the seizure of an issue of the daily “Tribuna Popular” in São Lourenço do Sul (state of Rio Grande do Sul, south of the country). Without taking a position as to the substance of the case, RSF asked the minister to ensure […]
(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Minister of Justice José Gregori, RSF protested the seizure of an issue of the daily “Tribuna Popular” in São Lourenço do Sul (state of Rio Grande do Sul, south of the country). Without taking a position as to the substance of the case, RSF asked the minister to ensure that this type of measure not be applied. “This sanction is out of proportion with the prejudice caused, and is a violation of press freedom,” said RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard.
According to information obtained by RSF, on 21 July 2001, magistrate Ana Paula Braga Alencastro ordered the seizure of the 22 July issue of the daily “Tribuna Popular”. This decision follows a suit filed by the mayor of São Lourenço do Sul, Dari Pagel, against the newspaper for “infringement of his moral integrity.” In the 22 July issue, “Tribuna Popular” mentioned a suit filed against Pagel and five others for fraud in the management of the city’s pension plan and health care fund. The article was titled: “The mayor is accused and should be removed”. To justify the seizure, the magistrate stated that the “newspaper could not manipulate public opinion and denigrate the image of a public figure.”
Other newspapers in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, such as “Diario Popular”, “Diario da Manhã” and “Zero Hora”, published the same news in their issues dated 22, 23 and 24 July, respectively, but were not seized. However, witnesses said they saw municipal employees buying as many copies of these newspapers as were available.
