Judge Isaías Andrade Lins Neto, from Court of Justice of Pernambuco (TJ-PE), reversed the first instance decision that determined the preventive detention of journalist Ricardo Antunes, known for his highly rated blog in the State. The information is from the newspaper The State of S. Paulo.
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According to the judge, the arrest order was issued “without any suitable justification”. In his words, “the elements contained in the contested decision were not sufficient to prove the need for precautionary custody of the patient”.
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Ricardo Antunes is a defendant in a lawsuit for defamation and insult, in “delictual continuity”, against the prosecutor Flávio Roberto Falcão Pedrosa. The legal action began after the journalist published information about the acquisition of land by the promoter on the island of Fernando de Noronha.
Judge alleged failure to comply with precautionary measure to order journalist arrested
Judge Andréa Calado da Cruz, from the 11th Criminal Court of Recife, had ordered the journalist’s arrest alleging non-compliance with a provisional decision that required the immediate removal of publications about the prosecutor until the outcome of the case. Additionally, she ordered the cancellation of their passports and the blocking of their social media accounts.
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However, Antunes was in Spain and was never detained. The arrest was annulled at the request of the defense, who argued that the measure was “disproportionate”. The judge established bail, with some restrictions, such as the obligation to attend the forum monthly to report on his activities and the prohibition on publishing matters related to the prosecutor.
Reaction to Abraji’s court decision
The Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism (Abraji) issued a note of repudiation against the arrest order, highlighting that the decision harms the entire journalistic category and encourages the practice of “self-censorship”.
Ricardo Antunes’ blog is inaccessible. The journalist stated that the website was taken offline by order of the same judge who ordered his arrest.
Tags: Judge revokes arrest order journalist Pernambuco
