Bolsonaro ordered to compensate journalists for moral damages

The São Paulo Court of Justice has issued a final verdict with no further avenues for appeal, compelling former President Jair Bolsonaro to pay collective compensation of BRL 50,000 for moral damages to journalists.

The awarded amount will be directed to the São Paulo State Fund for the Defense of Diffuse Rights.

The lawsuit, filed by the Union of Professional Journalists of the State of São Paulo, alleged that Bolsonaro systematically and aggressively targeted journalists in his speeches and social media posts.

The union documented a total of 175 attacks by Bolsonaro against the press in 2020, as reported in "Violence against Journalists and Press Freedom in Brazil" by the National Federation of Journalists.

Examples cited in the report encompassed homophobic slurs, name-calling, derogatory comments toward women journalists during interviews, and even threats of physical violence.

Rádio Nacional made attempts to reach out to former President Bolsonaro's advisors, but they were unavailable for comment.