Organizations launch campaign for Federal Courts to halt illegal spying procurement

“Bolsonaro Wants To Spy On You” campaign stresses illegalities of government’s R$25 million bidding process

Foto: Alan Santos/PR

A group of more than 30 civil society organizations and movements launched this Wednesday, June 2, the campaign “Bolsonaro Wants To Spy On You”, calling on the Federal Audit Court and the Federal Justice System to halt a bidding process for the acquisition of illegal spying services.

The bidding process, in the amount of R$25 million, gained prominence after a news report identified the involvement of one of the president’s sons, Carlos Bolsonaro, in the negotiations and the absence of GSI (Institutional Security Cabinet) and ABIN (Brazilian Intelligence Agency) in the process – the two public agencies whose responsibilities are more aligned with the nature of the service to be acquired.

The organizations identify four main reasons for halting this bidding process:

1) It is illegal because it violates the right to privacy and private life – the government wants to see your private conversations;

2) It is not in the public interest, but for the persecution of people who disagree with the government;

3) By law, the government does not have the power to monitor citizens without a court order;

4) The bidding process contains generic technical specifications, to prevent society from knowing exactly what is being purchased, which is also illegal;

The bidding process has already been the subject of a complaint in the TCU (Federal Audit Court) filed by civil society organizations and a petition by the Public Prosecutor’s Office with the TCU. It is also the subject of a citizen’s lawsuit filed by Senator Alessandro Vieira with the Federal Justice System, which was referred to the 2nd Civil Court of the Judiciary Section of the Federal District. All these cases are in progress and awaiting a ruling.

However, the demand is urgent and speed in the passage of these cases could make all the difference. This is why it is essential for society to mobilize and pressure the authorities that will hear them, in order to prompt a response that is swift and effective enough to stop the continuation of a bidding process that could have serious consequences for Brazilian democracy.

See the full list of signatory organizations:

1. Abong
2. Ação Educativa
3. Acredito
4. Católicas pelo Direito de Decidir
5. CENPEC
6. Centro de Promoção da Saúde
7. Coalizão Direitos na Rede
8. Conectas Direitos Humanos
9. Delibera Brasil
10. Evangélicas pela Igualdade de Gênero – EIG
11. Fundação Tide Setubal
12. Goianas na Urna
13. Greenpeace Brasil
14. IDDD
15. Inesc
16. Iniciativa Negra Por uma Nova Política Sobre Drogas
17. Instituto Alana
18. Instituto Ethos de Empresas e Responsabilidade Social
19. Instituto Marielle Franco
20. Instituto Nossa BH
21. IPAD – Instituto Pensamentos e Ações para Defesa da Democracia
22. Judeus pela Democracia
23. Laboratório Brasileiro de Cultura Digital – LabHacker
24. Open Knowledge Brasil
25. Oxfam Brasil
26. ponteAponte
27. Rede Brasileira de Conselhos -RBdC
28. Rede Conhecimento Social
29. Rede Feminista de Juristas – deFEMde
30. Rede Justiça Criminal
31. Transparência Brasil
32. Transparência Capixaba
33. WWF Brasil