Rousseff sanctions law on right of reply in the media

President Dilma Rousseff sanctioned Thursday (Nov. 12), vetoing one paragraph, the law that established the right of reply to individuals or corporations, feeling offended by news "with contents undermining the honor, privacy, reputation, concept, name, brand or image, even if for misunderstanding of information, reported by social communication, regardless of the means in which it was published or broadcast."

The recently approved law established that the reply may be disclosed, published or transmitted in the same means of communication, the same day of the week and time in which the offense had occurred and it shall be exercised within 60 days "from the date the offensive news had been disclosed, published or transmitted."

The vetoed paragraph asserted that the victim could personally demand for the right to rectify the information on radio or television. The item had caused disagreement between the congressional houses.

Translated by Amarílis Anchieta