Organizations call for broad social participation in debate on Law for the Defense of the Democratic State

More than 65 organizations signed a statement warning of the risks of fast-tracking the bill to replace the National Security Law

Pablo Valadares/Câmara dos Deputados

Last week, the speaker of the Lower House of Congress, Arthur Lira, announced that he plans to fast-track a bill to replace Brazil’s National Security Law. Created in 1983, during the military dictatorship, the National Security Law has points that are incompatible with the Federal Constitution of 1988, such as permitting the criminalization of criticism against the President of the Republic. 

Bill 6764/2002, named the Law for the Defense of the Democratic State, raises concerns for civil society organizations as it paves the way for the criminalization of civil society and, as such, they are calling for a broad discussion of the bill. Accordingly, more than 65 organizations, among them Conectas, have signed a joint statement in which they express their concerns over the fast-track status of the bill and warn that lawmakers must not make the mistake of using vague terms and establishing ambiguous offenses that could ultimately be used to harass social movements and serve as an assault on democracy.

“As important as it is to approve a new legal framework that protects Brazilian democracy, this cannot be done hastily, without adequate debate and reflection, at the risk of reproducing or including concepts and provisions that are incompatible with the pillars of the Federal Constitution of 1988,” reads the document. 

Read the full document here with the demands of the organizations.