(IPYS/IFEX) – Columnist Odorico Leal de Carvalho was fined US$1,300 after a court in Piauí state, northeastern Brazil, ruled against him in a defamation case. The lawsuit was launched by State Attorney General Emir Martins Filho, who felt that an article published in the local “Folha Picoense” newspaper defamed him. The newspaper is based in […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – Columnist Odorico Leal de Carvalho was fined US$1,300 after a court in Piauí state, northeastern Brazil, ruled against him in a defamation case. The lawsuit was launched by State Attorney General Emir Martins Filho, who felt that an article published in the local “Folha Picoense” newspaper defamed him. The newspaper is based in the city of Picos, approximately 300 kilometres from the state capital, Teresina. The trial took place in record time, less than 18 hours, and Carvalho was not given an opportunity to retract the statements made in the article.
The ruling against the journalist was made public on 4 March 2005. The complaint against Carvalho was launched over an article, entitled “Magic Wand”, which mentioned Filho’s promotion to the state attorney general position and described him as “inexpressive”. Filho was not present at the hearing. Carvalho says his story did not insult the prosecutor, nor did it describe him as incompetent.
Carvalho and “Folha Picoense” appealed the decision on 14 March. They have asked the Teresina court to review the ruling and the fine. In the coming weeks, Carvalho’s lawyer, Gleuton Portelo, intends to launch a defamation complaint against Filho on behalf of the journalist: “In his petition, the prosecutor called me ‘envious’ and ‘frustrated’,” said Carvalho.
The Piauí Journalists’ Union, represented by its president, Tereza Val, has taken a position in defence of Carvalho and has condemned the way the trial was held. The journalist’s conviction was also discussed at a forum on communication, held in Teresina from 4 to 6 March.
This alert was prepared by IPYS with information provided by the Brazilian Investigative Journalism Association (Associação Brasileira de Jornalismo Investigativo, ABRAJI).
