Brazilian journalist sent death threats, flees with family

Publicado em 19 de dezembro de 2012 no site do International News Safety Institute

An investigative journalist fled with his family from their home in Curitiba, southern Brazil, after being sent death threats on Monday (17 December).

Mauri König, who is also the director of Abraji [the Brazilian Association for Investigative Journalism] was told he would be targeted by policemen using machineguns. 

A colleague from RPC TV, a broadcaster based in the same building where König works at newspaper Gazeta do Povo, answered a phonecall on Monday. A man who identified himself as a police officer said he heard that a group of five policemen had travelled from Rio de Janiero to attack König´s home. According to the man, this planned attack stemmed from a stories written by the journalist.

König was named ´police enemy number one´ in a string of aggressive comments posted on the newspaper´s website when he wrote a series of reports about police corruption in Paraná last May. The newspaper also published a photograph of a police car parked by a brothel around that time. 

Last Monday, the newspaper published another story which claimed that some officers named in the previous reports were about to be promoted. 

König and his family left their home in Curitiba, the capital of Paraná, earlier this week. They are now at an uknown address and are being guarded by private security, hired by the newspaper. The company said they will also help him and his family leave the state.

A spokesperson for Abraji said:

"Abraji deplores and condemns these threats against Mauri König. He is the latest victim of a wave of vilence against journalists in Brazil.  

"In September, André Caramante, who covers police issues for Folha de S.Paulo [one of Brazil´s biggest newspapers], had to leave the country because he was also a victim of threats.

"Abraji urges the Brazilian authorties to investigate this case and to find out who is responsible for the threats against Mr. König. When someone tries to silence a reporter, it is a direct attack to the right to know of the whole society."

Brazil is the fifth most dangerous country for journalists in 2012, according to the International News Safety Institute. Eight journalists have been killed there because of their work.