Twitter Files journalist denounces Jorge Messias for abuse of power

After being included in an investigation petition by the Attorney General of the Union Jorge Messias addressed to Minister Alexandre de Moraes, American journalist Michael Shellenberger declared on Thursday (25) that he is reacting through a petition to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), which is part of the Organization of American States (OAS).

Messias sees in Shellenberger’s work Twitter Files Brazilcarried out in partnership with People’s Gazette and Brazilian journalist David Ágape, an alleged offender in the publication of confidential documents. The primary sources of the revelations, however, are all internal emails from mostly Brazilian Twitter employees commenting on confidential TSE and STF decisions, in addition to other procedures such as CPI petitions to the social network.

Writing in Portuguese on X (formerly Twitter), Shellenberger accused the Federal Police, the Federal Supreme Court and Messias of trying to “ban independent journalists and politicians from social media platforms”.

The journalist said that his petition, which is for a precautionary measure, was addressed to Pedro Vaca Villarreal, special rapporteur for freedom of expression at the IACHR.

Details of the petition for precautionary measure to the OAS

In the “additional information” field of the petition, Shellenberger says he is “at imminent risk of criminal prosecution by the Brazilian government for reporting legal and truthful information.” In the list of justifications for the request, he marked “a risky situation in the exercise of freedom of expression”, “precarious conditions of deprivation of liberty” and “risk of loss of family ties”. In his own hand, the American explained that, in addition to the risk of censorship, his “freedom to travel safely to Brazil” and his “freedom of association in Brazil” are also at risk.

Shellenberger reports that Alexandre de Moraes “instrumentalized the Federal Police, including against me, for publishing the Twitter Files in Brazil.” The PF didn’t listen to him, he claims, and “instead is spreading misinformation about me.”

He refers to a report produced by the Federal Police, which motivated Messias’ petitions and mentions the Twitter Files and, without detailing the reason for this, it even presents screenshots of personalities such as Senator Arthur Virgílio praising Elon Musk.

“The report highlights me and suggests that it is somehow suspicious that I only have one paid subscription to X, which is from [perfil do] Elon Musk”, explains the journalist. “But there is nothing suspicious about that. I pay Musk, not the other way around. And, as the Police report notes, Musk earns a percentage of funds from people who subscribe to my content on X.”

Shellenberger complains to the IACHR that Jorge Messias “suggested illegal activity”, “but did not show that I or my co-authors Eli Vieira [editor da Gazeta do Povo] and David Ágape lied or presented incorrect or illegal information in Twitter Files Brazil“. He ends the justification section of his petition by rebutting Messias’ allegation that the files contained confidential documents, or that the reports were an attempt to destabilize the democratic rule of law; in addition to citing the Brazilian Constitution’s guarantees for journalists.

“The attorney general is abusing his powers and acting as a legislator, usurping the role of the Brazilian Congress”, accuses Shellenberger in the petition.