MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Maria Jose Braga, the president of Brazil's National Federation of Journalists, told Sputnik that she considered the alleged FBI investigation into the news agency's activities as an attempt to limit freedom of the press.
"It is strange that the United States considers a journalist or media a foreign agent and wants to launch an investigation into the activity. The United States should stop acting as the world police, it does not contribute to democracy and press freedom, which are, in theory, are so popular in the United States," Braga said.
Braga noted that if Sputnik had a certain editorial policy, it would be made evident in its content and would not be grounds to not broadcast its materials.
Aram Aharonian, the founder of the pan-Latin American Telesur television network told Sputnik that he considered the investigation a provocation.
"The FBI investigation into Sputnik is a provocation and an apparent violation of press freedom… Representatives of local and international media should enjoy equal rights and liabilities in any country," Aharonian, who is also director of the Observatory on Communication and Democracy and president of the Foundation for Latin American Integration, said.
Aharonian added that if Washington declared Sputnik a foreign agent, it would have to do the same with BBC, Reuters, Amsa, which also have headquarters across the globe.
