Justice Alexandre de Moraes Orders Search and Seizure Against Source of Journalist Reporting on Flávio Dino

Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered search and seizure warrants on Tuesday, July 11, targeting Raimundo Cutrim, a former secretary of the Maranhão government, and a lawyer. The operation follows a Federal Police investigation into the source of information provided to blogger Luís Pablo Conceição Almeida, who published reports regarding the use of official vehicles by Justice Flávio Dino and his family. The investigation focuses on whether Cutrim provided leaked data concerning Dino's security and movements, including suspected unauthorized access to systems of the Maranhão Court of Justice and Detran. The Federal Police also identified financial transactions from the lawyer to the journalist, including a payment of 100,000 reais used to purchase land, and are investigating if these payments were linked to the published stories. Justice Dino has denied any irregular use of vehicles, stating that a blinded car was provided through a cooperation agreement between the Supreme Court and state courts. The defense for Raimundo Cutrim expressed concern over the measure, arguing that the investigation should focus on the allegations themselves rather than the source. The defense for Luís Pablo stated that the mentioned funds were not related to his professional work. Press associations, including the National Association of Newspapers, have criticized the move as a threat to press freedom and a violation of constitutional protections regarding the confidentiality of journalistic sources. While both reports agree on the legal facts, they differ in context. One center-right source emphasizes the legal implications for press freedom and the specific details of the security breach. Another center-right source frames the event as part of a broader political dispute in Maranhão between the political groups of Flávio Dino and Governor Carlos Brandão.