Journalists’ Union denounces press censorship in COP30 host city

By Ana Pastana – From Cenarium

MANAUS (AM) – The Pará Journalists’ Union (Sinjor-PA) denounced on social media this Tuesday, the 14th, an episode of censorship after media professionals in Belém were barred from entering the premises of the State Secretariat of Education (Seduc) on Avenida Augusto Montenegro, in Icoaraci. The location is the site of a protest by Indigenous movements from various regions of the state, demanding measures from the government led by Helder Barbalho (MDB), which, according to the protesters, jeopardize the future of education in Pará.

In a video posted by the union on Instagram, unidentified Indigenous representatives can be seen speaking to the press from within the secretariat’s premises, while journalists are kept outside, collecting information through a security gate. According to Sinjor, the presence of the press—requested by the Indigenous movement—was blocked by the Pará Military Police (PM-PA).

“The press coverage was a demand from the Indigenous movement itself, which called on media teams to safeguard the movement and show that Seduc’s property is being preserved“, said the union. Watch now:

The protest aims to prevent the extinction of the Modular Indigenous Education System (Somei)—part of the Modular Education System (Some)—and other changes directly affecting the lives of educators and students in the state’s most isolated regions.

Sinjor-PA criticized the police’s actions and stated it would demand explanations from the responsible state bodies. “The Pará Journalists’ Union (Sinjor-PA) was contacted by journalists blocked by the Military Police at the entrance to Seduc. This is regrettable in the 21st century, given that press freedom and the free exercise of journalism are fundamental elements of democracy. We will demand explanations from the State Secretariat of Communication (Secom), the Public Security and Social Defense (Segup), and the State Chief of Staff to ensure journalistic work and the right to free communication for Pará’s society“, the statement read.

CENARIUM requested a statement from the Pará State Secretariat of Communication (Secom-PA) and is awaiting a response. The PM-PA reported that “a group of Indigenous people damaged the access gate to Seduc. There was no confrontation with the police, and the protest remains peaceful inside the building.”

Protest

Indigenous groups from various regions of Pará gathered on Tuesday morning, the 14th, in Belém to protest against state government measures that, according to them, endanger the future of education in the state. The demonstration began around 7 a.m. in front of the Pará State Secretariat of Education (Seduc) on Avenida Augusto Montenegro in Icoaraci.

Tuesday’s protest also reignites tensions from a significant incident late last year when teachers were violently repressed by the Military Police during a protest in front of the Pará Legislative Assembly (Alepa). On that occasion, educators were protesting against the New Teaching Career Bill, which, according to unions, removes historic rights from the category.

Translated from Portuguese by Gustô Alves