An electoral court in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul upheld the detention order for Google’s top executive in the South American country for having disobeyed the order to withdraw videos deemed slanderous.
Judge Flavio Saad Peron on Sept. 20 ordered Fabio Jose Silva Coelho to be arrested for not having removed from YouTube two videos that allegedly slander a candidate for the mayorship of Campo Grande, Alcides Bernal, the official Agencia Estado news service said.
Coelho’s attorneys filed a habeas corpus motion challenging the judge’s order, although the request was denied.
Google declared that it will appeal the court’s decision because, as a Web platform, it is not responsible for content.
This is the second case of this kind against Google in Brazil in the two weeks after on Sept. 14 the electoral court of Paraiba state decreed that another executive be jailed after being accused of disobedience for not removing a video that offended a municipal candidate in that region.
In addition, the firm was fined 1 million reais ($492,000) per day in the state of Parana for making available for viewing three videos against the mayor of the town of Cascavel, Edgar Bueno, who is running for reelection.
