Brazil’s ban on Musk’s X catches flak from Dutch MP, ADF International

Brazil’s ongoing ban against Elon Musk’s social media platform X has attracted its fair share of critics. These include a Dutch Member of Parliament and legal advocacy group ADF International. 

Amidst the fallout of Brazil’s ban on X and Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes’ threat of a R$50,000 ($8,900) daily fine for users who access the social media platform through VPN, a number of elected Brazilian officials have continued to express their thoughts on X. The social media platform, for its part, has also released copies of the letter from de Moraes, which demanded the censorship of several X accounts, including that of a sitting official.

In a post on the social media platform, Dutch MP Geert Wilders slammed Brazil for banning X. As per the official in his post, a country that does not grant freedom of expression to its citizens is a dictatorship. “Banning X in Brazil is unacceptable and proof of totalitarianism. A nation without freedom of expression is a dictatorship,” Wilders wrote. 

Banning X in #Brazil is unacceptable and proof of totalitarianism. A nation without freedom of expression is a dictatorship.

— Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) August 31, 2024

The ADF International noted that it had submitted a petition to the Inter American Commission on Human Rights, which has authority over Brazil under the American Convention, to oppose the censorship of the social media platform in the country. The legal advocacy group also noted that now is the time to intervene in the matter. 

“We have urgently petitioned the Inter American Commission on Human Rights, which has authority over Brazil under the American Convention. The censorship from the Supreme Federal Court and Superior Electoral Court violate international law. Now is the time to intervene,” the group wrote in a post on X. 

The banning of X and targeting of @elonmusk @shellenberger @marcelvanhattem and others is symptomatic of a severe endemic problem.

Per recent surveys, the majority of Brazilians are afraid to share their views in public.

— ADF International (@ADFIntl) September 1, 2024

The group also noted that the targeting of people such as Elon Musk and other dissenting voices is “symptomatic of a severe endemic problem.” “Per recent surveys, the majority of Brazilians are afraid to share their views in public,” the ADF International wrote. 

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