(PFC/IFEX) – On 17 March 2004, Honduran police reported that organised crime groups may be behind a 12 March attack on journalist Edgardo Castro, of Canal 6 television station, which broadcasts in the northern city of San Pedro Sula, 250 kilometres from the capital, Tegucigalpa. Commissioner Danilo Valladares, of the Criminal Investigation Office (Dirección de […]
(PFC/IFEX) – On 17 March 2004, Honduran police reported that organised crime groups may be behind a 12 March attack on journalist Edgardo Castro, of Canal 6 television station, which broadcasts in the northern city of San Pedro Sula, 250 kilometres from the capital, Tegucigalpa.
Commissioner Danilo Valladares, of the Criminal Investigation Office (Dirección de Investigación Criminal, DGIC), told the Committee for Free Expression (Comité por la Libre Expresión, C-Libre) that a special investigations team had been assigned to the case to determine the motive behind the attack. The assailant was a youth who has not yet been identified.
On 12 March, Castro was at a garage repairing his vehicle’s radio, in the Medina neighbourhood of San Pedro Sula. Witnesses said the journalist was talking on his mobile phone when a youth on a bicycle approached him and fired five shots, one of which slightly injured the journalist.
“I’m alive because, when I heard the gunshots, I threw myself to the ground, although I had already been hit in the shoulder. I stayed still until the attacker had left, thinking that he had killed me,” Castro said.
Police originally attributed the attack to youth gangs, but, according to Commissioner Valladares, they are now investigating possible links to organised crime and drug trafficking groups. “We are not rejecting any possibilities because Castro is known for his coverage of efforts to combat drug-trafficking. We believe that the people behind the attack may be linked to those groups,” the commissioner said.
Police say they have eyewitness information regarding the attacker and his companions. Valladares told C-libre, however, that the journalist has not cooperated with police, which could create complications in the investigation. Valladares added that the journalist and his family are receiving police protection. According to Canal 6 employees, Castro is currently visiting relatives in the western city of Santa Bárbara.
One month ago, Castro and his colleague, Davis Yánez, were threatened after they covered a story about the dismemberment of cadavers, which was attributed to gangs. At the time, the journalists filed a complaint with the police, but did not receive a response. Valladares, however, said that he is not aware of the complaint. Yánez told C-Libre that he is concerned for his safety and will ask the police to investigate his case.
Welsy Vásquez, another Canal 6 journalist, said that the threats and the attack against Castro have frightened the station’s employees. Canal 6 is a sensationalist news media outlet.
