TIM LOPES PROTECTION PROGRAM FOR JOURNALISTS

The TIM LOPES PROGRAM, created by Abraji with support from the Open Society Foundations, aims to shed light on investigations into murders, assassination attempts, and kidnappings of journalists and to continue reporting interrupted by criminals to prevent its publication.

In the first phase of the program, Abraji took reporters Bob Fernandes, Bruno Miranda, and João Wainer to four different Brazilian states to rescue, in lengthy reports and videos, cases of murders of journalists in recent years. You can find the result of this work on this website. The result is a portrait of both the state of the media in the country and the challenges of the police and judicial systems.

Each chapter disclosed on this website unveils the story of one or more murdered communication professionals and, in most cases, raise questions about their authorship and motivation. Being a journalist in the smaller cities of the country means circumventing financial difficulties and often managing the job at the same time as a reporter, ad salesman, civil servant, campaign assistant, and pest control.

Bob Fernandes spoke with police authorities in each city. He proved, in practice, what research and estimates point to in theory: between 80 and 90% of inquiries opened to investigate homicides are closed without determining the authorship and circumstances of the crimes. Impunity serves as an engine of violence against communication professionals, and each crime serves as a gag to colleagues who escape and who need to continue working.

The second phase of the project consists of the formation of a network of journalists, employees of newsrooms from different parts of the country, who will monitor onsite each case of murder, kidnapping, or attempted murder of a colleague.

In this phase, at first, we formed an Abraji team, composed of Angelina Nunes, coordinator of the Tim Lopes Program, and Rafael Oliveira, then an intern at Abraji, to go to the site and make the first report of two investigated cases, one in Edealina, in the state of Goias, and another in Braganca, in the state of Para. The result of this work was a set of reports published on Abraji’s institutional website and in the program’s partner vehicles, which are also on this website.

The action will be a demonstration that journalists are not intimidated by the violence that aims to silence the voice of the press and, consequently, harm democracy.

Principles

The TIM LOPES PROGRAM has as a principle the work of journalist in a voluntary and solidarity manner supported by companies, class organizations, journalism collectives, human rights organizations, and citizens committed to the defense of freedoms of expression.

The Program will deal with cases of murders and kidnappings of journalists in the national territory. Journalists will be considered to be all those who practice journalism – which consists of investigating and publicly disseminating information in newspapers, magazines, TVs, radio stations, and digital platforms.

The principles of professionalism guide the Program’s action – that is, it drives priority attention to the ethical and safety procedures of the field and rear teams.

All the material collected and consolidated will be available for free dissemination, without the privilege of any vehicle, even those that have provided professionals for the teams.

Credits

Realization

Support