Journalist taken off the air during broadcast of his programme
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – On the morning of 16 February 2005, journalist Mauricio Funes was abruptly taken off the air by the management of Canal 12 television station while he was hosting the “La Entrevista al Día” programme. At the time of the incident Funes was talking about the dismissal the previous day of a number of […]
Newspaper director and editor-in-chief face defamation complaint
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – Journalists Nelson Fernández and Luis Fuentes, director and editor-in-chief of the daily “La Prensa”, respectively, published in the northern city of San Pedro Sula, 250 km from the capital, Tegucigalpa, are facing a defamation complaint filed against them by Supreme Court Justice María Elena Matute. Justice Matute is disputing claims published in a […]
Journalist faces defamation complaint
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – On 11 January 2005, attorney Siomara Benítez Molina filed a defamation complaint against journalist Carlos Ismael Galeas, head of news programming for San Miguel radio station, based in Marcala, La Paz department. Galeas must appear before a Comayagua court on 18 February to respond to the accusations or otherwise face trial. Benítez claims […]
Former mayor declared guilty of journalist’s assasination
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – At 6:00 a.m. (local time) on 26 January 2005, Eugenio Hernández González was declared guilty of having assassinated María José Bravo, a correspondent for “La Prensa” newspaper. Judge Rosa Inés Osorio, of the Juigalpa Criminal Court, ruled on the case after a trial that lasted more than eight hours. Denis Báez, coordinator of […]
Newspaper editor receives death threats
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – Journalist Jhony Lagos, editor and founder of the “El Libertador” monthly newspaper, has told the Committee for Free Expression (Comité por la Libre Expresión, C-Libre) that for the past month he has been followed and harassed by unknown individuals who have left him telephone death threats. On 24 November 2004, two individuals went […]
Journalist subjected to threats and harassment
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – Journalist Rodolfo Montalbán, of STC Noticias radio station, has informed the Committee for Free Expression (Comité por la Libre Expresión, C-Libre) that he is being harassed and has received death threats. Montalbán believes that supporters of Tegucigalpa’s mayor, Miguel Pastor, may be behind the actions against him. Pastor is aspiring to become the […]
Daily’s offices attacked
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – On the night of 1 October 2004, the offices of the Tegucigalpa-based daily “La Tribuna” came under attack. A group allegedly composed of police officers fired shots at the daily’s administrative and editorial offices as they drove by. The criminal investigations police has announced that it will conduct a thorough investigation into the […]
Court rules in favour of television station, granting it the right to broadcast in Tegucigalpa
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – The Supreme Court has ratified a ruling in favour of businessman Rafael Nodarse, owner of Canal 6 television station, based in the city of San Pedro Sula. The state, via the National Telecommunications Commission (Comisión Nacional de Telecomunicaciones, CONATEL), had prevented the station from increasing its signal range to broadcast in Tegucigalpa and […]
Judge issues veiled threat against journalist
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – On 20 August 2004, Judge Carlos Mario Peña, of the Managua Fifth District Criminal Court, issued a veiled threat against journalist Mirna Velásquez, of “La Prensa” newspaper. According to information provided by the journalist and published in “La Prensa”, after a press conference the judge approached Velásquez and tried to intimidate her by […]
Journalist found guilty of “defamation”
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – On 5 August 2004, journalist Adolfo Hernández, director of the “No se deje” television programme, broadcast on Channel 66 by the Corporación Maya TV company, in Tegucigalpa, was found guilty of “defamation”. Hernández was accused of having defamed the president of the Honduran Advertisement Agencies’ Association (Asociación de Agencias de Publicidad de Honduras, […]
Spanish citizen deported for criticising government
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – Economist Miguel de Arriba, a Spanish citizen, was expelled from Honduras on 4 July 2004 for having circulated on the Internet articles criticising President Ricardo Maduro’s government. The Interior and Justice Secretariat (Secretaría de Gobernación y Justicia) has argued that its decision to expel de Arriba was based on a Honduran law that […]
“Tribuna” newspaper under attack
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – On 22 May 2004, Martín Serrano Herrera, owner of “Tribuna” newspaper, was assaulted by three individuals he identified as members of the Veracruz state security forces. According to Serrano, some questions about the incident remain unanswered as a proper investigation has not been carried out. Members of “Tribuna” informed PROBIDAD that the newspaper […]
Television programme cancelled
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – On 18 June 2004, Arnold Girón, host of “La voz del pueblo” programme, televised on Channel 45, filed a complaint with the National Human Rights Commissioner’s Office protesting the cancellation of his programme. According to Girón, on 9 June he received a letter from the station’s management advising him of the programme’s cancellation. […]