Journalist Glenn Greenwald was charged with cybercrimes Tuesday by the Brazilian government. (Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr)
Jan 20, 2020
Journalist Glenn Greenwald hit back after being charged with cybercrimes by Brazilian authorities Tuesday in connection to his reporting on corruption in the country, saying he would fight to defend the right to a free press and his right to report the truth.
"We are going to defend a free press," Greenwald tweeted in Portugese. "We will not be intimidated by the abuse of the state apparatus or by the Bolsonaro government."
\u201cSobre a not\u00edcia da den\u00fancia do MPF: \u00e9 um ataque a liberdade de imprensa, o STF, as conclus\u00f5es da PF e a democracia brasileira. \n\nNos vamos defender uma imprensa livre. N\u00e3o seremos intimidados pelo abuso do aparato do estado nem pelo governo Bolsonaro.\u201d— Glenn Greenwald (@Glenn Greenwald) 1579629135
The move to charge Greenwald by the right-wing government of President Jair Bolsonaro was quickly and forcefully condemned by progressives and journalists around the world.
"This is beyond disturbing," said Trevor Timm, executive director of the Freedom of the Press Foundation.
Prosecutors claim that Greenwald--who has lived in Brazil with his husband, David Miranda, for many years--is at the center of a "criminal conspiracy" to hack cellphones of government officials.
According to the New York Times:
Citing intercepted messages between Mr. Greenwald and the hackers, prosecutors say the journalist played a "clear role in facilitating the commission of a crime."
For instance, prosecutors contend that Mr. Greenwald encouraged the hackers to delete archives that had already been shared with The Intercept Brasil, in order to cover their tracks.
Prosecutors also say that Mr. Greenwald was communicating with the hackers while they were actively monitoring private chats on Telegram, a messaging app.
"Stand with Glenn," Young Turks reporter Emma Vigeland tweeted. "This is criminalization of journalism."
\u201cGlenn Greenwald Charged With Cybercrimes in Brazil\n\nStand with Glenn. This is criminalization of journalism. https://t.co/nA0aZ0FWEo\u201d— Emma Vigeland (@Emma Vigeland) 1579623327
The ACLU, in a statement, condemned the prosecution. Ben Wizner, director of the group's Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, called on U.S. officials to step in.
"The United States must immediately condemn this outrageous assault on the freedom of the press, and recognize that its attacks on press freedoms at home have consequences for American journalists doing their jobs abroad," said Wizner.
Journalists weighed in to show their support for Greenwald.
\u201cThis is the correct take. Even if you hate Glenn -- *especially* if you hate Glenn -- this is a time to stand up for journalism and against authoritarianism.\u201d— Ryan Grim (@Ryan Grim) 1579624247
\u201cThis is despicable, dangerous and a crime against journalism. https://t.co/ap5rbvuH1O via @NYTimes\u201d— jeremy scahill (@jeremy scahill) 1579623476
\u201cJournalism has been under attack around the world now Glenn Greenwald is Charged With Cybercrimes in Brazil by their homophobic climate change denying president. https://t.co/9zYSo7UnEl\u201d— Tabetha Wallace (@Tabetha Wallace) 1579623799
\u201cThis is outrageous. \n\nhttps://t.co/k9BIogReZp\u201d— Chris Hayes (@Chris Hayes) 1579623291
Greenwald's reporting for The Intercept Brasil on corruption has roiled Brazil over the past year. Minister of Justice Sergio Moro has been a frequent target of the exposes, which have shaken public confidence in the Bolsonaro government.
On Tuesday, the government took action after months of threatening to go more aggressively after journalists, including Greenwald.
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Journalist Glenn Greenwald hit back after being charged with cybercrimes by Brazilian authorities Tuesday in connection to his reporting on corruption in the country, saying he would fight to defend the right to a free press and his right to report the truth.
"We are going to defend a free press," Greenwald tweeted in Portugese. "We will not be intimidated by the abuse of the state apparatus or by the Bolsonaro government."
\u201cSobre a not\u00edcia da den\u00fancia do MPF: \u00e9 um ataque a liberdade de imprensa, o STF, as conclus\u00f5es da PF e a democracia brasileira. \n\nNos vamos defender uma imprensa livre. N\u00e3o seremos intimidados pelo abuso do aparato do estado nem pelo governo Bolsonaro.\u201d— Glenn Greenwald (@Glenn Greenwald) 1579629135
The move to charge Greenwald by the right-wing government of President Jair Bolsonaro was quickly and forcefully condemned by progressives and journalists around the world.
"This is beyond disturbing," said Trevor Timm, executive director of the Freedom of the Press Foundation.
Prosecutors claim that Greenwald--who has lived in Brazil with his husband, David Miranda, for many years--is at the center of a "criminal conspiracy" to hack cellphones of government officials.
According to the New York Times:
Citing intercepted messages between Mr. Greenwald and the hackers, prosecutors say the journalist played a "clear role in facilitating the commission of a crime."
For instance, prosecutors contend that Mr. Greenwald encouraged the hackers to delete archives that had already been shared with The Intercept Brasil, in order to cover their tracks.
Prosecutors also say that Mr. Greenwald was communicating with the hackers while they were actively monitoring private chats on Telegram, a messaging app.
"Stand with Glenn," Young Turks reporter Emma Vigeland tweeted. "This is criminalization of journalism."
\u201cGlenn Greenwald Charged With Cybercrimes in Brazil\n\nStand with Glenn. This is criminalization of journalism. https://t.co/nA0aZ0FWEo\u201d— Emma Vigeland (@Emma Vigeland) 1579623327
The ACLU, in a statement, condemned the prosecution. Ben Wizner, director of the group's Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, called on U.S. officials to step in.
"The United States must immediately condemn this outrageous assault on the freedom of the press, and recognize that its attacks on press freedoms at home have consequences for American journalists doing their jobs abroad," said Wizner.
Journalists weighed in to show their support for Greenwald.
\u201cThis is the correct take. Even if you hate Glenn -- *especially* if you hate Glenn -- this is a time to stand up for journalism and against authoritarianism.\u201d— Ryan Grim (@Ryan Grim) 1579624247
\u201cThis is despicable, dangerous and a crime against journalism. https://t.co/ap5rbvuH1O via @NYTimes\u201d— jeremy scahill (@jeremy scahill) 1579623476
\u201cJournalism has been under attack around the world now Glenn Greenwald is Charged With Cybercrimes in Brazil by their homophobic climate change denying president. https://t.co/9zYSo7UnEl\u201d— Tabetha Wallace (@Tabetha Wallace) 1579623799
\u201cThis is outrageous. \n\nhttps://t.co/k9BIogReZp\u201d— Chris Hayes (@Chris Hayes) 1579623291
Greenwald's reporting for The Intercept Brasil on corruption has roiled Brazil over the past year. Minister of Justice Sergio Moro has been a frequent target of the exposes, which have shaken public confidence in the Bolsonaro government.
On Tuesday, the government took action after months of threatening to go more aggressively after journalists, including Greenwald.
Journalist Glenn Greenwald hit back after being charged with cybercrimes by Brazilian authorities Tuesday in connection to his reporting on corruption in the country, saying he would fight to defend the right to a free press and his right to report the truth.
"We are going to defend a free press," Greenwald tweeted in Portugese. "We will not be intimidated by the abuse of the state apparatus or by the Bolsonaro government."
\u201cSobre a not\u00edcia da den\u00fancia do MPF: \u00e9 um ataque a liberdade de imprensa, o STF, as conclus\u00f5es da PF e a democracia brasileira. \n\nNos vamos defender uma imprensa livre. N\u00e3o seremos intimidados pelo abuso do aparato do estado nem pelo governo Bolsonaro.\u201d— Glenn Greenwald (@Glenn Greenwald) 1579629135
The move to charge Greenwald by the right-wing government of President Jair Bolsonaro was quickly and forcefully condemned by progressives and journalists around the world.
"This is beyond disturbing," said Trevor Timm, executive director of the Freedom of the Press Foundation.
Prosecutors claim that Greenwald--who has lived in Brazil with his husband, David Miranda, for many years--is at the center of a "criminal conspiracy" to hack cellphones of government officials.
According to the New York Times:
Citing intercepted messages between Mr. Greenwald and the hackers, prosecutors say the journalist played a "clear role in facilitating the commission of a crime."
For instance, prosecutors contend that Mr. Greenwald encouraged the hackers to delete archives that had already been shared with The Intercept Brasil, in order to cover their tracks.
Prosecutors also say that Mr. Greenwald was communicating with the hackers while they were actively monitoring private chats on Telegram, a messaging app.
"Stand with Glenn," Young Turks reporter Emma Vigeland tweeted. "This is criminalization of journalism."
\u201cGlenn Greenwald Charged With Cybercrimes in Brazil\n\nStand with Glenn. This is criminalization of journalism. https://t.co/nA0aZ0FWEo\u201d— Emma Vigeland (@Emma Vigeland) 1579623327
The ACLU, in a statement, condemned the prosecution. Ben Wizner, director of the group's Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, called on U.S. officials to step in.
"The United States must immediately condemn this outrageous assault on the freedom of the press, and recognize that its attacks on press freedoms at home have consequences for American journalists doing their jobs abroad," said Wizner.
Journalists weighed in to show their support for Greenwald.
\u201cThis is the correct take. Even if you hate Glenn -- *especially* if you hate Glenn -- this is a time to stand up for journalism and against authoritarianism.\u201d— Ryan Grim (@Ryan Grim) 1579624247
\u201cThis is despicable, dangerous and a crime against journalism. https://t.co/ap5rbvuH1O via @NYTimes\u201d— jeremy scahill (@jeremy scahill) 1579623476
\u201cJournalism has been under attack around the world now Glenn Greenwald is Charged With Cybercrimes in Brazil by their homophobic climate change denying president. https://t.co/9zYSo7UnEl\u201d— Tabetha Wallace (@Tabetha Wallace) 1579623799
\u201cThis is outrageous. \n\nhttps://t.co/k9BIogReZp\u201d— Chris Hayes (@Chris Hayes) 1579623291
Greenwald's reporting for The Intercept Brasil on corruption has roiled Brazil over the past year. Minister of Justice Sergio Moro has been a frequent target of the exposes, which have shaken public confidence in the Bolsonaro government.
On Tuesday, the government took action after months of threatening to go more aggressively after journalists, including Greenwald.
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