Brazilian judge orders probe of Elon Musk amid X disinformation row
Al Jazeera
Judge orders obstruction of justice inquiry after Musk says he will defy court order, calls for judge’s impeachment.
A Brazilian judge has opened an investigation of Elon Musk for obstruction of justice after the tech mogul said he would defy a court order to remove X accounts accused of spreading disinformation.
In a decision on Sunday, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes said the probe will examine whether Musk, who owns X, engaged in obstruction, criminal organisation and incitement.
“The flagrant conduct of obstruction of Brazilian justice, incitement of crime, the public threat of disobedience of court orders and future lack of cooperation from the platform are facts that disrespect the sovereignty of Brazil,” de Moraes wrote, ordering X to “refrain from disobeying judicial orders, including by reactivating an account that the Supreme Court ordered blocked”.
De Moraes said that X would face fines of 100,000 reais ($19,770) per day for each account reinstated in defiance of the court order.
“Social networks are not lands without laws,” de Moraes wrote.
