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 […]
WPFC praises Supreme Court decision to overturn “insult” laws; urges decriminalisation of defamation offences
(WPFC/IFEX) – The following is a 24 May 2005 WPFC letter to the Honduran Supreme Court: Washington, USA, May 24, 2004 Their Excellencies: Sonia Marlina Dubón Suyapa Thumann Carlos Armando Flores Carlos Gómez Moreno José Rolando Arriaga Sala de lo Constitucional Corte Suprema de Justicia Tegucigalpa, Honduras C/C to Her Excellency Vilma Cecila Morales President […]
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 […]
IAPA condemns harassment of Honduran press
(IAPA/IFEX) – The following is an 18 February 2005 IAPA press release: IAPA condemns harassment of Honduran press Miami (February 18, 2005) – The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) has sent a letter to Honduran President Ricardo Maduro asking for immediate action to put an end to the harassment of the media by the leader […]
Defamation case against journalists to proceed to courts
(AMARC/IFEX) – The defamation case against two journalists from San Miguel community radio station will go to court after the journalists refused to retract statements regarding allegations of police involvement in smuggling operations. “We are defending the right to information and the right to communicate, that is why we refused to retract our statements,” Suyapa […]
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 […]
Journalist receives threats following investigation into police corruption
(AMARC/IFEX) – Journalist Carlos Galeas has been threatened for reporting on allegations that Honduran police are involved in smuggling coffee and lumber across the border to El Salvador. Galeas, of Radio San Miguel station, based in Marcala, southern Honduras, received death threats after conducting his investigation. In an interview with the Salvadoran Participatory Radio and […]
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 […]
Security minister says shots fired at “La Tribuna” were accidental
(RSF/IFEX) – In response to a letter from RSF, Security Minister Oscar Álvarez Guerrero said an investigation has established that a uniformed police officer “accidentally” fired shots at the offices of the daily “La Tribuna” when he was cleaning his service firearm. The incident took place on 1 October 2004. The findings have been rejected […]
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 […]
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, […]