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Spying issue to be raised at UN, says Rousseff
July 9, 2013, 5:04 am

Rousseff is slated to meet the US president in September. (Xinhua Images)

Rousseff is set to meet the US president in October [Xinhua]

Brazil has ordered a probe by its federal police and the National Telecommunications Agency into reports of US spying on its citizens.

This was confirmed by Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff.

“This would be a violation of sovereignty and human rights,” the president told reporters in Brasilia, adding that Brazil will raise the issue at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHCR).

“The position of Brazil on this matter is very clear and firm. We do not agree, under any circumstances, with such meddling, not just in Brazil but in any other country.”

President Rousseff’s announcement comes ahead of an impending state visit to the US in October.

Brazil’s O’Globo newspaper had last week published a report citing documents from former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden which show that email and phone records of citizens and companies of Brazil have been under surveillance by the NSA.

Brazil’s Communications Minister Paulo Bernardo has reiterated the seriousness of the charges against the US National Security Agency.

“I have absolutely no doubt” about the veracity of the reports, said the minister.

Brazil will now press for a new multilateral governing body for the internet.

“It cannot be governed by a private US entity when we know that this entity is controlled by the US government,” Bernardo asserted.

Search giant Google’s role in the incident will also be probed according to Rousseff.

“We need to see where data was stored,” Rousseff said.

“Often data are stored outside Brazil, primarily Google data. We plan to require that data from Brazilians be stored within Brazil.”

Brazil’s telecom regulator Anatel has been charged with probing whether Brazilian firms were part of the conspiracy.

Source: Agencies