The Federal Police (PF) arrested today (24) a pastor accused of promoting hate speech against Jews. There was a preventive arrest warrant issued against him by the 8th Federal Criminal Court of Rio de Janeiro. The Rófesh operation also carried out a search and seizure warrant against the religious leader, in the Santo Cristo neighborhood, in central Rio.
According to investigations by the PF’s Cyber Crime Repression Group (GRCC), the religious, whose name was not disclosed, produced and published several videos with attacks on Jews and followers of other religions.
Racism and threat
In addition to crimes of racism and threat, the pastor will answer for incitement and apology of crime. If convicted, he could serve up to 26 years in prison. The name of the operation Rófesh, in Hebrew, means freedom, alludes to the recent discussions about the limits of freedom of expression.
The pastor had already been the target of search and seizure in March of last year, for promoting hate speech. According to the PF, he had also been arrested before.
