Brazil: TV network punished over atheism remarks

Mr Datena also ran a poll during the programme asking how many viewers believe in God

A Brazilian television network has agreed to broadcast a video on religious freedom 72 times as punishment for an on-air outburst by one of its presenters.

The Rede Bandeirantes network will show the video until November after host Jose Luiz Datena suggested atheists were more likely to commit crimes, the Forum magazine website reports. During a 2010 edition of the Urgent Brazil programme, Mr Datena told viewers that the recent shooting of a young man was indicative of an "absence of God". "A guy that's atheist, in my humble opinion, has no limits, and that's why we see these crimes happening," he said, repeating the views later in the programme.

Federal prosecutors subsequently took action against the network over Mr Datena's comments. Brazil's constitution guarantees religious freedom, and the country outlaws speech that promotes religious intolerance. Anyone broadcasting such views can face a fine or prison sentence. Several readers commenting on the Forum story say that religion itself has caused war and suffering, so atheists shouldn't be blamed for violence. Others lament the fact that Brazilian television gives people with such views a platform to express their opinions. But one person is more understanding, saying: "Datena is a human being just like any of us. The programme is live and therefore he went too far."

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