Brazil’s Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes warned Telegram of a new suspension for 72 hours and instructed the app to send a new warning message to users.
The Minister’s decision comes after the platform’s publication on its official account in Brazil on May 9, stating, “Brazil is about to approve a law that will put an end to freedom of expression.”
“By determination of the Supreme Court, to the company Telegram communicates: the above message of Telegram is characterized by a flagrant and unlawful disinformation attacking the national Congress, the Judiciary, the rule of law and Brazilian democracy, as, fraudulently, distorted the discussion and debates on the regulation of social network providers and private messaging services [PL 2630], in an attempt to induce and instigate users to coerce parliamentarians,” the source said.
Therefore, the magistrate calls for the withdrawal of the message sent by Telegram to users on May 9, within one hour of the company’s notification, and the sending of a new message to the same recipients.
Suppose the app does not comply with the determinations. In that case, Telegram will be suspended for 72 hours nationwide, will be fined R$500,000 per hour (about US$101,000 per hour) – even if the app is already off the air – and the Federal Police will take statements from the app’s representatives in Brazil within 48 hours, reported media outlet G1.
The media outlet claims that it tried to contact the app but did not get a response.
The conflict between the Brazilian judiciary and virtual platforms gained a new chapter yesterday with the message sent by Telegram.
The message was harshly criticized by the Minister of the Secretariat of Communication of the Presidency of the Republic, Paulo Pimenta, who called it “absurd,” as reported.