Church monitoring threatens religious freedom?
Experts warn of violations of religious freedom after monitoring 7.5 thousand masses and services across the country. Read on Gazeta do Povo.
TL;DR
- Experts warn that monitoring nearly 7,500 religious services for electoral crimes violates religious freedom and could lead to intimidation of priests and pastors.
- The research, conducted by UFRJ and More in Common, analyzed over 13,000 hours of audio, identifying political situations in 3.2% of churches.
- The Brazilian Institute of Law and Religion (IBDR) called the monitoring illegal and reminiscent of authoritarian regimes, arguing it creates an environment of surveillance and self-censorship.
- Constitutional law experts state that even academic monitoring of churches is unconstitutional and violates federal rights, including freedom of belief and worship.
- Examples of monitored content included a pastor encouraging 'biblical conscience' in voting and a priest refuting fake news about a religious figure, with the latter classifying divisive tactics as 'leftist'.
- The research classified any promotion or attack on candidacies, even indirect, as 'electoral propaganda', though the research director stated it did not classify expressions of religious values or moral positions as such.
- Legal specialists note that while electoral law prohibits propaganda in religious settings, proving electoral crimes like abuse of religious power requires specific elements beyond mere mentions or vote requests.
- Critics argue that transforming pulpits into permanently monitored spaces inverts constitutional logic, as the state is mandated to protect places of worship, not monitor them.