(IPYS/IFEX) – On 30 September 2006, the Regional Electoral Tribunal of Amazonas ordered the signal of TV A Crítica television station to be cancelled for 24 hours. The Court accepted the request of political alliance “Por el bien de Amazonas” (“For the Good of Amazonas”) to take the television station off the air because it […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 30 September 2006, the Regional Electoral Tribunal of Amazonas ordered the signal of TV A Crítica television station to be cancelled for 24 hours. The Court accepted the request of political alliance “Por el bien de Amazonas” (“For the Good of Amazonas”) to take the television station off the air because it broadcast accusations negatively affecting its candidates’ reputation. Judge Encarnação das Graças Sampaio Salgado considered that TV A Crítica’s accusations could interfere with the presidential elections. The station stopped transmitting the night of 30 September until the evening of 1 October, election day.
According to the station’s news coordinator, Álvaro Corado, it has been reporting on the political alliance’s alleged purchase of votes in the state of Amazonas, northern Brazil, since the beginning of the electoral campaign.
The television station was accused by the political group of damaging its members’ reputation and could be fined up to US$53,000. TV A Crítica has appealed the ruling to the Regional Electoral Tribunal.
This alert was prepared by IPYS with information provided by the Brazilian Investigative Journalism Association (Associação Brasileira de Jornalismo Investigativo, ABRAJI).
