“Public statement: Olympics and Democracy-Conectas condemns censorship of protests during the Olympic Games”, 8 August 2016

Conectas strongly condemns the decision of the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee to censure spectators who, during the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, exercise their right to freedom of expression...[D]ays following the official opening of the Rio Olympics, the press reported several cases of spectators who were censored or removed from the venues by security guards after peacefully protesting against Brazil’s acting president.The Committee bases these actions on the so-called General Law of the Olympics (Law No. 13,284) and “clean arena” policy. According to its representatives, this policy protects the interests of the companies that have invested money to have their image associated with the Games...[T]here is nothing to support the position of the Organizing Committee. The Brazilian Constitution is clear in its protection of the right to freedom of speech. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office...stated that “the conduct of the security guards preventing the display of slogans and...removing citizens who display them is extremely authoritarian, illegal and unconstitutional”. The Judiciary accepted the case and granted an injunction permitting peaceful political protests at official Rio 2016 Olympic venues...