Court Orders Shutdown Of Telegram Messaging App

Court Orders Shutdown Of Telegram Messaging App

A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has ordered the shutdown of popular messaging application Telegram in the country, effectively banning one of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro‘s favourite communication channels ahead of elections later this year.

In a decision published on Friday, Judge Alexandre de Moraes ordered the app blocked immediately across the South American nation, citing Telegram’s failure to comply with orders from Brazilian authorities and remove messages found to contain disinformation.

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The decision comes as Bolsonaro gears up to seek re-election in October, counting on Telegram to rally his base amid slumping public support and criticism over his government’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis. The president has more than 1 million followers on the platform.

“Telegram’s disrespect for Brazilian law and repeated failure to comply with countless court decisions … is completely incompatible with the rule of law,” Moraes wrote in his decision.

The judge said the company had repeatedly refused to comply with rulings and requests from police, the Superior Electoral Tribunal and the Supreme Court itself.

That includes a Supreme Court-ordered investigation into allegations that the Bolsonaro administration had used official communication channels to spread disinformation, he said.

Bolsonaro has openly clashed with Moraes, who ordered him personally investigated in that case.

The president took to Twitter on Friday, posting a link to subscribe to his channel on Telegram, which was still operational in Brazil in the afternoon.

“Our Telegram informs people every day of many important actions of national interest, which many regrettably omit,” Bolsonaro said.