STF President Fachin moves to permanently archive Fake News inquiry

The president of Brazil’s Supreme Court (STF), Justice Edson Fachin, announced on October 9, 2026, his intention to permanently archive the country's highly controversial "Fake News" inquiry. The closure of the seven-year-old investigation signals a major de-escalation of judicial tensions and a shift in the court's aggressive stance toward political actors.

The inquiry, officially designated as Inquiry 4,781, was opened in March 2019 by then-court president Dias Toffoli to investigate threats, offensive statements, and disinformation targeting Supreme Court justices and their families. For years, the case served as a powerful and polarizing legal instrument, drawing intense domestic and international criticism over its broad scope and the court's dual role as both victim and investigator.

In an official document sent to fellow Justice Luiz Fux, Fachin stated that the court’s presidency has identified 104 remaining preliminary procedures and petitions linked to the case. These files must be individually analyzed, organized, and resolved in coordination with the Federal Police and the Prosecutor-General's Office (PGR) before the final archiving can take place.

The move follows a formal request by Justice Fux for immediate, unrestricted access to the sealed files as part of a separate case. Fachin denied immediate access, explaining that the secrecy of the Fake News inquiry must be maintained until the remaining 104 procedures are resolved. Once archived, the court plans to grant full public access to the records.

The decision to wind down the case comes after a significant shift in its management. In September 2026, the relatorship of the Fake News inquiry was officially transferred away from Justice Alexandre de Moraes—who had led the aggressive, high-profile crackdowns on political activists and allies of former President Jair Bolsonaro—and placed under the direct responsibility of Fachin as the head of the court. While criminal actions that have already been formally accepted will remain under Moraes's jurisdiction, the underlying, open-ended investigative probe will be brought to a close.