Says both (as well as television commentators) guilty of defamation (slander and libel)
Police syndicate SINAPOL is ready to file a criminal complaint in court against the prime minister, minister for interior administration and some commentators, lawyer Alexandre Zagalo announced yesterday, without clarifying the commentators in question.
SINAPOL’s lawyer explained that statements made after what was a passing remark in a televised interview with the union’s president called into question the “right to freedom of expression”, as well as being a “violation of the independence of trade union autonomy”.
Zagalo also referred to a report written by minister Carneiro addressed to IGAI, the General Inspectorate of Internal Administration, over the comments made by Armando Ferreira, in which he warned of police protests possibly affecting the looming elections.
“The president of the union and SINAPOL have been stoned in the public square,” claims the lawyer, stressing it was Mr Carneiro who “threw the first stone“.
For Alexandre Zagalo, Carneiro’s reaction and statements were “slanderous” and made even worse by then associating the SINAPOL president with “extremist movements”.
“At no time did (Armando Ferreira) encourage or support any extremist movement. There is absolutely no threat” in what he said – as the Resident pointed out earlier this week.
Zagalo also referred to several commentators having “insulted” (defamed) Armando Ferreira, whose statements, in his view, were intended to “defend collective interests”.
In this sense, and in order to “honour the dignity” of SINAPOL and its president, Alexandre Zagalo says he means to file a complaint in court, citing “the false threat” implied by the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Prime Minister and several commentators over their interpretation of the union president’s statements, and in associating him with extremist movements.
Meantime, Minister Carneiro has indeed ordered IGAI to open an investigation into Armando Ferreira’s statements which referred to the fact that police transport ballot boxes and voting slips at times of elections, and if their protests continue, this activity could ‘possibly’ be compromised.
As to what really happens, this is ‘all up in the air’. Even Alexandre Zagalo’s declarations yesterday have been couched by the admission that the syndicate has six months in which to file its criminal complaint, and if there is a “retraction” by those who made their defamatory statements, “it may not happen”.
