(AMARC/IFEX) – The Union of Broadcasting Networks for Democracry (UNIRR)/AMARC-Brasil reports that, on 14 January 1998, all of the equipment of community radio 98.5FM and documents of the Brazilian Association of Community Radio Stations (Abraco) were seized from their shared offices in Brasilia by representatives of the National Telecommunications Agency (ANATEL). Accompanied by agents of […]
(AMARC/IFEX) – The Union of Broadcasting Networks for Democracry
(UNIRR)/AMARC-Brasil reports that, on 14 January 1998, all of the
equipment of community radio 98.5FM and documents of the Brazilian
Association of Community Radio Stations (Abraco) were seized from their
shared offices in Brasilia by representatives of the National
Telecommunications Agency (ANATEL). Accompanied by agents of the Federal
Police, the inspectors took the station’s transmitters, audio table,
microphones, amplifiers, tapes, records and CDs, which were thrown
roughly into a sack despite the appeals of the station’s staff not to
damage the materials. The police detained the two members of the
station’s staff who were present at the time: Luiz Roberto dos Santos, an
announcer, and Anarlei Lorenzon, a secretary. The two were released after
posting bail.
One of the members of the station’s staff and of the UNIRR, Eduardo
Alves, reports that the police acted in an arbitrary manner. “When I
arrived at the station and realized what was going on, I picked up the
phone and started calling colleagues from the movement asking them to
come to the office. At that moment, the police prohibited me from using
the telephone. I pointed out that, legally, every citizen has the right
to use the phone. Irritated, the police called for reinforcements, a
heavily armed group which arrived soon after.”
Among the documents of Abraco which are now being held by the Federal
Police and ANATEL are copies of the station’s registration, addresses of
the state community radio associations, Abraco’s records and a
transmitter.
Federal Deputy Fernando Ferro, of the Partido dos Trabalhadores (PT) of
Pernambuco, considers the action to be arbitrary, as there was no legal
warrant for the closure of the radio station, the detention of its
employees and the seizure of its equipment. PT lawyers intend to sue
ANATEL and lawyers from sympathetic trade unions have already submitted
demands for the return of the equipment.
The representative of the Federal Police Department of Public, Social and
Political Order, Romulo Fisch de Berredo Menezes, argued that no legal
warrant was necessary in what he deemed a flagrant case. Members of the
movement believe that the station was denounced by representatives of
commercial radio stations.
Meanwhile, legislation to regulate community radio in Brazil has been in
process through the National Congress for almost two years. After a
number of modifications which weaken the original proposal, the
legislation was approved by the Senate Committee on Communications,
Science and Technology and is now being voted on by the Education
Committee – the last step before the final vote.
