Brazilian blogger Ítalo Eduardo Diniz Barros was shot dead last Friday 13 November after receiving threats about his work. Three days before his murder he told colleagues of one such threat.
Diniz, who also worked as a press officer for a mayor in the state of Maranhão, often criticised local authorities in his blog. One of his friends who was also shot in the attack by two men on a motorcyle survived.
His death came four days after radio reporter Israel Gonçalves Silva was killed in the eastern state of Pernambuco. His programme dealt with alleged corruption by politicians and police.
At least four other journalists in Brazil have been murdered in retaliation for their work this year.
Diniz’s blog - founded as a communication platform to protect people’s rights - carried interviews with public officials as well as accusations against them. Readers were also able to submit their own accusations.
The New York-based press freedom watchdog, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), called on the Brazilian authorities to investigate Diniz’s death and determine the motive.
Carlos Lauría, CPJ’s senior programme coordinator for the Americas, said: “Journalists in Brazil must be able to report the news without fear of reprisal. Instead, deadly violence is silencing critical voices and seriously limiting the ability of Brazilians to engage in vigorous discussion on issues of public interest.”
On Tuesday, police in Pernambuco released a statement saying a man who confessed to Silva’s murder had been arrested.
Sources: Knight Center/CPJ
