Entities linked to journalism expressed their rejection of the decision of the Special Criminal Court of the Barra Funda Court, in São Paulo (SP), to order the open arrest of professional Luan Araújo. In October 2022, he was the target of an armed pursuit by then federal deputy Carla Zambelli. The arrest was a decision by judge José Fernando Steinberg. He argued that the “convict, despite being duly summoned, did not comply with the imposed pecuniary benefit”. Araújo, who is unemployed, needed to pay compensation of R$2,200 in view of the conviction for “defamation”. He was found guilty of having published a text criticizing Carla Zambelli. Related news: Justice orders the arrest of journalist pursued by Carla Zambelli. Zambelli is released in Italy after court denies extradition. Zambelli: Italian court denies extradition; former deputy could be released. Luan Araújo wrote, at the time, that Zambelli was part of a “sect of extreme right-wing patients who follow it unconditionally and continue committing atrocities”. In a statement, the Commission of Journalists for Racial Equality (Cojira-SP) of the Union of Professional Journalists in the State of São Paulo (SJSP) and the National Commission of Journalists for Racial Equality of the National Federation of Journalists (Conajira/Fenaj) criticized the punishment of the journalist. “[The entities] publicly repudiate the decision of the São Paulo Court that determined the open arrest of journalist Luan Araújo due to the non-payment of R$ 2,216.30 resulting from a conviction for defamation in a lawsuit filed by former federal deputy Carla Zambelli (PL-SP)”, says the note. "I'm sad" The Committee of Journalists for Racial Equality also released a position by Luan Araújo, who predicts a complicated period ahead. “I’m sad about all this repercussion, but I’m also happy to see people’s acceptance.” According to the commission, he has asked for support given the scenario he has faced. “I’m out of a job and trying to look for a job opportunity,” he said. After the conviction, Luan Araújo published a note on social media in which he considered the conviction “unfair”. “Psychological problems, unemployment, lack of opportunities, a conviction in court for a text I wrote, where the justice system wants me to pay money that I don’t have to pay a sentence that I consider unfair,” he said. Still online, Araújo lamented that the former federal deputy had her extradition request rejected by the Italian courts.  "Despite her conviction in the STF, she won't need to serve her sentence there in Europe, free. In the meantime, I'm having to fundraise to be able to file a lawsuit for moral damages against her." He considered himself “hopeless.” “I’m not going to stop fighting, but I have a lot less weapons than her.” The case On October 29, 2022, before the second round of the 2022 presidential election, Zambelli and Araújo had an argument and the then-deputy pulled out a revolver. Images released at the time show Zambelli chasing the journalist through the streets of São Paulo and inside a cafeteria. In August last year, the Federal Supreme Court (STF) sentenced Zambelli to five years and three months in prison due to the episode. She was found guilty of the crimes of illegal possession of a firearm and illegal restraint using a firearm. Brazil requested Zambelli's extradition, which was granted by the first instances of Italian justice, but ended up being revoked in May by the Court of Appeal in Rome.