News broadcasts of several radio stations suspended in Sucumbíos and Orellana; military monitoring journalists’ work at Radio Sucumbíos
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – Approximately ten radio stations have been forced to suspend news broadcasts in Orellana and Sucumbíos provinces in the Amazon region since 14 August 2005, due to the imposition of a state of emergency. Among them is Radio Sucumbíos, a station well-respected in the area for its investigative journalism and news reporting. All of […]
PROBIDAD calls on Congress to approve Access to Public Information bill
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – The Access to Public Information and Habeas Data bill was introduced in Congress in October 2004, with the support of the heads of the five political party caucuses. On several occasions since then, Congressional leaders have expressed their willingness to approve it. However, in the last few weeks, the legislative commission that introduced […]
Court dismisses soft-drink company’s US$ 1.6 million lawsuit against “La Prensa” newspaper owner
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – On 26 July 2005, the San Pedro Sula chamber of the Honduran Supreme Court dismissed a US$ 1.6 million lawsuit that had been filed against Jorge Canahuati Larach, owner of “La Prensa” newspaper, published in San Pedro Sula. The libel suit had been filed by Embotelladora Hondureña S.A (EMBOHSA), a soft-drink bottling company, […]
Ley de acceso a la información pública encuentra primeros oponentes: empresarios y periodistas
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – Lo que sigue es un comunicado de prensa de PROBIDAD, con fecha del 28 de julio de 2005: Ley de acceso a la información pública encuentra primeros oponentes: empresarios y periodistas El proyecto de Ley de Acceso a la Información Pública y Hábeas Data en poder de una comisión de dictamen del Congreso […]
Media businessman launches legal action against owner of “La Prensa” newspaper
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – Media businessman and investor Jorge Canahuati Larach, owner of “La Prensa” and “El Heraldo” newspapers, published in the northern city of San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa, the capital, respectively, is the target of a new legal action for libel and defamation, filed by banker Jaime Rosenthal Oliva, who is also a newspaper owner. […]
Soft-drink bottling company files US$ 1.6 million lawsuit against “La Prensa” newspaper owner for libel and defamation
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – Jorge Canahuati Larach, owner of “La Prensa” daily, which is published in the northern city of San Pedro Sula, 250 km. from Tegucigalpa, the capital, is facing a complaint for libel and defamation, launched against him on 22 July 2005 by the soft-drink bottling company Embotelladora de Honduras S.A. (EMBOHSA) after publishing a […]
Judge files complaint against journalist
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – Supreme Court Justice Winston Spadafora has filed a complaint against journalist Jean Marcel Chéry of “La Prensa” newspaper for an 18 July 2005 article reporting that Attorney General Ana Matilde Gómez had said that judges had to render accounts for their decisions, although Spadafora was scarcely mentioned in the article (see “Magistrados deben […]
Magazine manager alleges government’s shut down order is politically motivated
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – On 15 June 2005, the General Taxation Division (Dirección General de Ingresos, DGI) shut down four publications, including the magazine “Trinchera de la Noticia”, for alleged evasion of taxes. The tax authorities, led by Danilo Rodríguez, director of the DGI’s Closures Department (Departamento de Clausura), suspended the magazine, which is known for its […]
Governmental anti-corruption watchdog stalls on journalist’s information request
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – Journalist Rodolfo Bluske has received no response so far to a letter he recently sent to the Presidential Anti-Corruption Delegation (Delegación Presidencial Anticorrupción), requesting information needed for an analysis of corruption cases reported in the Department of Tarija and the counter-measures taken by the Delegation there. The journalist’s right to a response is […]
Radio and television programme directors face defamation complaint for reporting on controversial government grant to savings and loan fund
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – The following is an abridged version of a 23 June 2005 PROBIDAD alert: Journalists Eduardo Maldonado and Esdras Amado López are facing a defamation complaint filed against them by the La Constancia savings and loan institution (Asociación de Ahorro y Préstamo La Constancia) for reporting on funding it received from the main pension […]
Supreme Court dismisses charges against “TN5” television news programme director
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – On 7 June 2005 the constitutional chamber of the Supreme Court unanimously dismissed charges against Rossana Guevara, director of Corporación Televicentro Channel 5’s “TN5” news programme. She was accused in August 2003 of the crime of defamation and slander. The case took almost two years to be resolved. The legal action was launched […]
Television journalist faces defamation complaint launched by municipal government officials
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – On 27 May 2005, a defamation complaint was filed by several municipal government officials against journalist Manuel Santiago Cerna, director of the “Al Punto” and “Elecciones 2005” programmes broadcast by television channel 6 in the northern city of San Pedro Sula, 250 kilometres from the capital, Tegucigalpa. The plaintiffs are San Pedro Sula […]
Journalist continues to face intimidation and threats; two other journalists to be tried in September
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – Journalists Carlos Galeas and Suyapa Banegas (husband and wife) were notified on World Press Freedom Day, 3 May 2005, that they will be tried in September for disseminating information on contraband sales of coffee in the zone. The journalists had alleged during their news programmes that police officials were implicated in the smuggling. […]
Journalists apologise to judge to avoid defamation trial
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – Journalists Nelson Fernández and Luis Fuentes, director and chief editor of “La Prensa” newspaper, published in the northern city of San Pedro Sula, 250 kilometres from the capital, Tegucigalpa, avoided going to trial by reaching an agreement with a Supreme Court judge following her suit for defamation and calumny. Fernández told the Committee […]
Congress ratifies constitutional reform establishing principle of “habeas data”
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – The following is an abridged version of an 18 March 2005 PROBIDAD statement: The Honduran legislative chamber has ratified a reform to Article 182 of the Constitution, establishing the principle of “habeas data”. The measure was announced in the February 2005 edition of the government gazette. The change to the Constitution establishes the […]
Journalist Mauricio Funes fired
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – At 6:00 p.m. (local time) on 18 February 2005, Canal 12 television station’s general manager informed journalist Mauricio Funes that the owners of the station’s parent company, AZTECA, had decided to terminate his contract as of 19 February. In an interview with a local newspaper, Funes said the decision to fire him was […]