Supreme Court overturns local court's rule to suspend Netflix comedy, saying humorous satire cannot weaken religious values
Brazil's Supreme Court has overturned the rule of a lower court to temporarily suspend a Netflix show depicting Jesus Christ as a gay man, according to local media.
Judge Antonio Dias Toffoli, the head of the Supreme Federal Court, sided with streaming platform's appeal against the suspension late Thursday, rejecting the opinion that the short comedy film titled The First Temptation of Christ was insulting Christians, the local daily G1 reported.
Stressing that the "democracy requires an environment of free movement of ideas, in which everyone has a voice," Toffoli said in the ruling that "a humorous satire does not have the power to shake values of the Christian faith that has existed for over 2,000 years, and the belief of the majority of Brazilian citizens."
The decision came a day after a local Rio de Janeiro court ruled a temporary suspension for the online show, citing the right to freedom of expression, press and art "is not absolute".
The suspension is "more appropriate and beneficial" for Brazilian society, which is mostly Christian, said Judge Benedicto Abicair, adding that this temporary decision would calm down the temper until a final decision is made by a higher court.
The 46-minute International Emmy award-winning show created by the Brazilian YouTube comedy group Porta dos Fundos has taken criticism for disrespecting the religious values.
Nearly 2 million Brazilians offended signed an online petition mid-December, urging Netflix to remove the show.
Signatories of online petition demanded a public apology once the show is removed from the Netflix catalog. The comedy group, however, defended the show in response to initial criticisms and said it is in line with the norms of "democratic" society.
Many Muslims, who accept Jesus as a messenger of God, have also joined their cause, signing the petition.
