There are at least six bills in Brazil’s Congress that would result in the criminalization of vaccine hesitancy and spreading “false” information online about how vaccines work.
Bills introduced by Senator Angelo Coronel would result in the criminalization of people who oppose mandatory vaccines in children and adolescents during a “public health emergency.” The punishment would be a prison sentence of 1 to 3 years.
The proposals would also see adults who refuse mandatory vaccinations imprisoned for 2 to 8 years. A similar punishment would apply to those who spread vaccine “misinformation.”
The penalties are doubled if the offender is a government employee.
The proposals were updated in December 2022 and their continuity confirmed by the Legislative Secretariat of the Federal Senate.
On the Senate website, the proposals were discussed and rejected by 92% of respondents.
Other bills criminalize falsifying vaccination status and simulating vaccination applications.
