Moro Warns Authorities that Hacked Messages Will Be Destroyed

Federal Police contradict Moro and says message destruction depends on judge

Brasília

Justice Minister Sergio Moro warned authorities that messages captured by the group arrested by the Federal Police would be destroyed.

The president of the Supreme Court of Justice, João Otávio Noronha, told Folha on Thursday (25) that the information was given to the minister by telephone. Moro's staff confirmed this.

Moro called Noronha to report that he was on the list of targets of the group arrested last Tuesday (23) by the Federal Police.

"I received the news from Minister Moro that I was bugged. I have nothing to hide; I'm not worried about that," the magistrate said. "The messages will be destroyed; there is no other way out. This is what the minister told me and this is what has to happen," he added.

Justice Minister Sergio Moro (Foto: Pedro Ladeira/Folhapress, PODER) - Folhapress

Federal Police said in a statement that it would be up to the court," in due course, to determine the fate of the material" seized on Tuesday (23) with suspected of acting as hackers.

The demonstration mentions understanding of the law and contradicts Justice Minister Sergio Moro.

Supreme Court Justice Marco Aurélio Mello told the Monica Bergamo column that only the judiciary can decide whether messages seized from hackers will be destroyed.

"It is up to the judiciary to decide this, not the Federal Police," said Marco Aurélio, avoiding direct criticism of Moro. He says that care must be taken that evidence of crimes is not destroyed. "There is a civil and criminal liability in the case of hacking that needs to be cleared."

For experts heard by Folha, a decision in this regard rests solely with the judge responsible for the case.

Translated by Kiratiana Freelon

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