CYBER ATTACKS DISRUPT THE WORK OF LGBT DEFENDERS IN BRAZIL AMID COVID-19 PANDEMIC
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February 2021 - Brazil has long been a dangerous place for both LGBTI individuals and human rights defenders. It maintains the top position in the world ranking of LGBTI-phobic murders, registering 44% of all killings worldwide. At the same time, the country has also figured at the top of lists of murders of human rights defenders, who have to deal with constant death threats and political crackdowns amidst an ineffective National Protection Programme.
This reality culminated in the emblematic murder of Marielle Franco, a Black LGBT councilwoman, whose case remains unresolved after nearly two years of investigations. Today, those in power overtly persecute both groups, creating and reproducing a narrative that associates human rights defenders and activists to political radicalism, claiming they are lenient to crime and errant sexual behaviors, while stroking on conservative sentiment to characterize them as opponents of good morals and family values.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, harassment and intimidation have also moved online to keep up with the changing times. In October 2020, a virtual seminar organized by the National LGBTI Alliance in Brazil was hijacked by a group of cyber-invaders propagating hate speech, Nazi propaganda and images of explicit sex. The event aimed to discuss strategies to combat fake news and hate speech during the upcoming municipal elections in the country, but after the interruption, it was shut down. The event organizers claimed participants were “shocked and terrified”. Nonetheless, some remained connected to collect evidence of the attack. Safety and anti-hacking measures have now become a primary concern for LGBTI organizations when organizing similar events after the occurrence.[1]
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