Twitter and Facebook on Friday suspended the accounts of 16 supporters and allies of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, following a decision by a Brazilian Supreme Court judge, as part of an investigation into an alleged disinformation campaign. Tensions are escalating between the far-right president and the Supreme Court, which is investigating allegations that several members of Bolsonaro's entourage are waging a social media campaign to discredit this judicial institution and threaten its judges.
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A measure worthy of a "dictatorship"
Judge Alexandre de Moraes justified his decision, which confirms a judgment handed down in May, by asserting that the accounts of these users should be blocked to put an end to "the dissemination of false news, defamatory accusations, threats and crimes "against the Court. Among the suspended accounts are those of former Conservative MP Roberto Jefferson, business mogul Luciano Hang and far-right activist Sara Winter.
The latter denounced a measure worthy of a "dictatorship".
The blocking of their accounts will only apply to Internet users who attempt to access them from Brazil.