“Brazilian court lifts nationwide blocking of Telegram in neo-Nazi investigation”

In Brazil, a court has lifted the blocking of the messenger app Telegram. Judge Flavio Lucas said Saturday’s nationwide lockdown was disproportionate because it “impairs the freedom of communication of thousands of people.” However, the appeal judge upheld a daily fine of one million reals (around 180,000 euros), which the court of first instance had imposed on Telegram until the user data was released.

Brazil’s police and prosecutors had asked the operators of the online service to provide personal data of the members of two neo-Nazi groups on Telegram. Brazilian authorities have linked two groups, the Anti-Semitic Front and the Anti-Semitic Movement of Brazil, to several attacks in schools.

“Neo-Nazi material” shared on Telegram

In early April, a man killed four children between the ages of four and seven at a kindergarten in the southern Brazilian city of Blumenau. In March, a 13-year-old boy killed a teacher in a knife attack at a school in São Paulo. In November, a 16-year-old shot dead four people in attacks on two schools in Aracruz, Espirito Santo state. According to the judiciary, the youth was “a member of extremist groups on Telegram” in which “neo-Nazi material” was shared, including instructions on how to make bombs and videos of violent crimes.

Because Telegram did not provide the requested data, a Brazilian court ordered a nationwide blocking of Telegram on Wednesday. The company appealed against this, arguing that the requested information was “technically” unavailable.