Oficial: Violaciones a la Libertad de Prensa en Honduras

Aquí en el link de abajo la lista de periodistas de diferentes naciones, incluyendo hondurenos golpeados, asaltados y arrestados por los militares: Reporters Without Borders: For Free Press Freedom Media in coup storm, 6 July 2009, available at: http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/4a5304cc14.html [accessed 25 July 2009]

Media in coup storm

Journalists Patricia Arias of Canal 8, Allan McDonald of the daily El Heraldo, Aníbal Barrow of Hondured and Esdras Amado López, the owner of the Canal 36 television station, are not missing, as initially feared. They just decided to lay low because of the ongoing political crisis.

The Honduras Free Expression Committee (C-Libre) reports that Canal 36 resumed broadcasting on 4 July, six days after it was forced off the air when soldiers stormed its headquarters.

The de facto government announced on 1 July that certain fundamental constitutional guarantees are now suspended during curfew hours (10 p.m. to 5 a.m.). They include freedom of assembly and association, freedom of movement and the right to domestic inviolability. The 72-hour limit on the time a person can be held in police custody has also been suspended.

Canal 36, a TV station that was closed by the military on 28 June, the day of the coup, was due to resume broadcasting on 3 July.

Six journalists have been missing or have been in hiding since the day of the coup: Mónica Ceoane of Telesur, cartoonist Allan McDonald, Esdras Amado López of Canal 36, Patricia Arias of Canal 8 , Jesús Ochoa and Aníbal Barrow of Hondured.

Radio Globo resumed broadcasting on 29 June but is continuing to have problems. The soldiers who have been stationed outside the station since 28 June were upset by an interview with ousted President Manuel Zelaya and suspended broadcasting for 20 minutes. Owner Alejandro Villatoro managed to negotiate a resumption of broadcasting but another 25-minute interruption ensued.

Radio América has reported that a fragmentation grenade was thrown at the Tegucigalpa building that houses the station on the night of 30 June but did not go off. The police were summoned and detonated the grenade.

The San Pedro Sula-based TV station Canal 6 was shut down for 15 minutes while broadcasting footage of the coup. It then resumed its usual programming - sensationalist coverage of crime stories.

The pro-Zelaya TV station Canal 36, owned by journalist Esdras Amado López, has been shut down since 28 June. Amado has gone into hiding.

The TV station Canal 11 has not broadcast any reports about the coup since it was raided by soldiers.

Journalists working for the daily La Prensa were targeted by a demonstration in San Pedro Sula in support of ousted President Manuel Zelaya. The police took up positions around the newspaper's office as the demonstrators headed towards it.

Police units stationed themselves around the headquarters of Corporación Televicentro, the country's leading TV station, on 29 June to protect it against a demonstration by Zelaya supporters.

Zelaya supporters have criticised the following news media: the San Pedro Sula-based daily La Prensa, the Tegucigalpa-based dailies La Tribuna and El Heraldo, the national TV station Corporación Televicentro, and the national radio stations Radio América et Emisoras Unidas HRN.

Corporación Televicentro's TN5 news programme reported on the evening of 30 June that police were stationed around the headquarters of Radio América because of the threat of demonstrations and because explosive devices had been thrown at it.

Zelaya supporters are only allowing the international press to cover their demonstrations and have attacked several freelance journalists working for local media. On 29 June, the head of Canal 42, Emma Calderón, criticised demonstrators for attacking one of her reporters and one of her cameramen, and destroying his camera. A cameraman working for the US TV station Univisión was also attacked in the same manner.

Eduardo Maldonado, the producer of the Maya TV news programmes "Hable como Habla" and "Interpretando la Noticia", who is also a former presidential candidate and a critic of Roberto Micheletti (the de facto acting president), has sought asylum in the US embassy because he feared reprisals.

Jhony Lagos, the editor of the monthly El Libertador, told Reporters Without Borders he has received anonymous threatening calls on his mobile phone because of his criticism of the de facto government. He also said that, a week ago, he received a summons for promoting Zelaya's referendum. "I hope that, after this coup, they won't turn on us because we criticised the capitalist system," he said.

A few minutes after the coup d'état got under way on 28 June, there was a power outage that lasted five hours and silenced all of the country's radio and TV stations. Since then, most TV stations have just been broadcasting cartoons and soap operas. The public TV station Canal 8, whose broadcasts had stopped on 28 June, has now resumed normal programming.

Soldiers went to the headquarters of the daily El Tiempo and the TV station Canal 11 in San Pedro Sula on 28 June and insisted that the journalists stop relaying information coming from members of ousted President José Manuel Zelaya's government,

Several journalists with the international TV station Telesur and the daily La Prensa have talked of censorship by military officers who asked them to "moderate" their coverage. Soldiers also threatened to arrest them if they continued to broadcast footage or print photos of the demonstrations in support of Zelaya.

Around 10 soldiers stormed into the Marriot Hotel in Tegucigalpa on 29 June as foreign journalists were transmitting footage of a demonstration from their room. The soldiers arrested Argentine journalist Nicolas Garcia, Peruvian journalist Esteban Felix and two Nicaraguans who work for the Associated Press as assistants. They were taken to the Immigration Bureau where their visas were checked and where they were released an hour and a half later after explaining they were journalists. Adriana Sivori, Maria Jose Diaz and Larry Sanchez of Telesur were also detained and then freed.

Two TV stations, Canal 66 Maya TV and Canal 36, were ordered to stop broadcasting on 28 June without being told when they could resume.

According to Radio Progreso journalist Félix Molina, the military are threatening to shut down news media if they refer to President Zelaya's removal as a "coup d'état."

Fuente: UNHCR ( The UN Refugee Agency)

22jul09

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La reciente comparecencia de una delegación de diputados, alcaldes y defensores de derechos humanos en Washington, Estados Unidos, sobre la persecución, amenazas y hostigamientos contra la ciudadanía que se opone al golpe, echó por la borda la insistencia del gobierno de facto en afirmar que en Honduras no hay represión

Reportes desde la costa norte del país, dan cuenta que este día en horas de la mañana, efectivos del XV batallón de Infantería con sede en Trujillo, detuvieron sin ninguna justificación a mas de un centenar de personas que se transportaban en dos buses y que se dirigían a San Pedro Sula.

Estas acciones se están repitiendo en otros lugares del país, por ejemplo en el kilómetro 2 de la carretera que de Tegucigalpa comunica hacia el sur del país, en donde un contingente de policías y militares están deteniendo buses que transportan personas hacia la capital.

El gobierno de facto de Roberto Micheletti insiste en desmentir ante los medios de comunicación que en el país no existe represión, pero los hechos registrados demuestran lo contrario.

Las personas que fueron obligadas a bajarse de dos buses en Tocoa, departamento de Colón, decidieron manifestar su protesta a través de la toma del puente sobre el río Tocoa.

A la toma se sumaron más personas, por lo que unos 300 manifestantes mantuvieron tomado el acceso vehicular por espacio de 3 horas hasta que lograron reanudar su marcha hacia San Pedro Sula.

Ayer el presidente de facto Roberto Micheletti acusó al alcalde de Tocoa, Adán Fúnes de promover disturbios durante la marcha organizada por los golpistas en esta ciudad del departamento de Colón.

El artículo 81 de la Constitución de la República señala que toda persona tiene derecho a circular libremente, salir, entrar y permanecer en el territorio nacional. Nadie puede ser obligado a mudar de domicilio o residencia, sino en los casos especiales y con los requisitos que la Ley señala.

El martes durante una comparecencia transmitida desde Washington, Estados Unidos por medios de comunicación internacionales, una delegación de diputados, alcaldes y defensores de derechos humanos dieron a conocer la represión, los hostigamientos y las amenazas de que son objeto, por oponerse al golpe de Estado en Honduras.

En dicha comparecencia la diputada Elvia Argentina Valle expresó “que muchos diputados que avalaron la acción golpista, engañados y confundidos están conscientes ahora, que el Congreso actuó de manera incorrecta”.

El diputado Javier Hall denunció que fue agredido y golpeado por policías mientras participaba en una protesta pacífica y en días posteriores, incluyendo en el presente “mi casa está sitiada por policías”.

“Muchos de mis compañeros han recibido amenazas por correo electrónico, mensajes de texto a través de sus celulares y otras acciones intimidatorias en las que ha incurrido el régimen de facto, ¿qué clase de democracia dicen defender los miembros del gobierno de facto?, se preguntó Hall.

El parlamentario liberal añadió que “han iniciado una persecución atroz contra miembros electos por el pueblo. No todos los diputados hondureños somos golpistas”.

Mientras tanto el alcalde de San José de Colinas, Santa Bárbara, Amable de Jesús Hernández, recalcó que “un grupo de por lo menos 25 alcaldes en casos documentados, hemos sufrido una campaña de persecución y de desprestigio con el objeto de desacreditarnos ante la opinión pública nacional e internacional”.

El abogado Abencio Fernández del Centro de Investigación y Promoción de los Derechos Humanos (Ciprodeh) recalcó que mediante cadenas de radio y televisión el gobierno de facto “invita a que la ciudadanía denuncie a los supuestos opositores al régimen. Se han suspendido las garantías constitucionales de los hondureños, y esto es ilegal porque ni siquiera ha sido publicado en el diario oficial La Gaceta, la promulgación de ese estado de sitio y lo están prorrogando todos los días mediante cadenas de televisión”.

Además Fernández denunció graves violaciones contra el derecho a la vida, “han sido ejecutados, muertos y asesinados el periodista Gabriel Fino Noriega, esta persona fue asesinada por estar informando a la población sobre la represión que se ha implementado en los primeros días del golpe”.

Luego fue asesinado Roger Iván Bados Gonzáles y Ramón García, ambos miembros del partido de Unificación Democrática (UD) y ambos miembros de centrales campesinas del país, destacó el defensor de derechos humanos.

Añadió que fue asesinado el día 5 de julio durante una multitudinaria marcha frente a todo el mundo, frente a todas las cámaras el día que iba a regresar el presidente Zelaya, el joven Isis Obed Murillo Mencía de 19 años, simplemente por estar en la marcha.

Además ha habido otras violaciones como las desapariciones forzadas, esto esta reforzado porque el asesor de seguridad del actual gobierno de facto es Billy Joya, un miembro de los batallones de la muerte de los años ochenta. Este señor es el que está coordinando las labores de represión del movimiento, aseguró Fernández.

“Se han desaparecido algunas personas como Anastasio Barrera, miembro de la Central Nacional de Trabajadores del Campo (CNTC), la desaparición de Manuel Sevilla, un joven que llegó a una de las marchas en San Pedro Sula y por haber participado ahí, también fue desaparecido”,

Dentro de las violaciones a la libertad de prensa y la libre emisión del pensamiento en las que está incurriendo el gobierno de facto de Roberto Micheletti, destacan los cortes deliberados de energía eléctrica en perjuicio de Canal 36, Radio Globo y Maya TV.

Ayer fue cortada nuevamente la señal de canal 36, propiedad del periodista Esdras Amado López, cuando se transmitía la comparecencia de diputados, alcaldes y defensores de derechos humanos ante un buró de prensa en Washington que denunciaba las acciones golpistas y las violaciones cometidas por el gobierno de facto de Roberto Micheletti.

Por otra parte se conoció que 3 grandes empresas (Tigo, Citigroup y Ficohsa) habrían sucumbido a las presiones del gobierno golpista y retiraron los contratos de publicidad concertados con canal 36 y con el programa “Hable como Habla” del periodista Eduardo Maldonado que se transmite por Radio Globo y Maya TV.

El periodista Esdras Amado López expresó que “a mi juicio este es un chantaje al que han sucumbido estas empresas por parte del gobierno de facto de Roberto Micheletti, con el propósito de intentar asfixiar económicamente y de esa manera sacarnos del aíre”.

“Somos los dos medios de comunicación que estorbamos en este momento porque no repetimos lo que otros quieren que digamos, estas empresas no compran ranking sino que compran conciencias”, acotó el periodista Eduardo Maldonado.

El artículo 72 constitucional establece que es libre la emisión del pensamiento por cualquier medio de difusión, sin previa censura, Son responsables ante la ley los que abusen de este derecho y aquellos que por medios directos o indirectos restrinjan o impidan la comunicación y circulación de ideas y opiniones.

Por su parte el artículo 74 de la carta Magna sostiene que no se puede restringir el derecho de emisión del pensamiento por vías o medios indirectos, tales como el abuso de controles oficiales o particulares del material usado para la impresión de periódicos, de las frecuencias o de enseres o aparatos usados para difundir información.

[Fuente: Por Marvin Palacios, Defensores en linea, Tegucigalpa, 22jul09]

Fuente: Derechos Humanos Esdras Amado López, the owner of a television station, Channel 36, called the government hypocritical: “This is against the Constitution that the new government says it is protecting. I have a license. I have a right to inform the people. This is an unconstitutional order.” Fuente: New York Times

Honduras

La Corte Suprema de Justicia, CSJ, admitió la querella contra el presidente del Congreso Nacional, Roberto Micheletti, que fue presentada por varios comunicadores.

Los periodistas son Esdras Amado López, Javier Aguilera y Allan Fiallos, quienes piden la orden de captura contra Micheletti por los delitos de calumnias constitutivas de injurias.

Según Amado López, el titular del legislativo los señaló de "subversivos, revolucionarios, golpistas y peligrosos". Además de acusarlos de "ahuyentar la inversión, de perjudicar la economía nacional y atentar contra la democracia."

“Estas son falsas imputaciones vertidas por el ciudadano Micheletti”, dijo el periodista Esdras Amado López a un medio radial. Fuente: Diario La Prensa

NO PRESS FREEDOM IN POST-COUP HONDURAS by Medea Benjamin (in Honduras) When José David Ellner Romero heard the soldiers breaking down the door of the Globo radio station on the evening of the June 28 coup, he had a flashback. His mind conjured up the terrible images from the 1980s, when he was arrested by the military, thrown into an underground prison and tortured. “I couldn’t stand the thought of going through that hell again, so I got out on the ledge of the windowsill and jumped,” Elner told our International Emergency Delegation. His fractured shoulder, ribs and bruises were minor given that he jumped from the third floor. The owner of the station, Alejandro Villatoro, was thrown to the ground by soldiers who put their guns to his head and demanded to know where the transmitter was. Villatoro also happens to be a deputy in the National Assembly from the governing Liberal Party, but that didn’t afford him special treatment. While Villatoro was not a fan of deposed President Mel Zelaya, he believes in free speech and always guaranteed his employees that freedom. After the military invaded and censored his station, he now supports Zelaya’s return. “If this new government says it’s for democracy, then why is it censoring the press? This is the 21st century,” he told us. “We shouldn’t have coups and censorship and thugs running the country.” Radio Globo is now back on the air, but one of its most critical programs, Hable como habla, is still banned and the host of the show, Eduardo Maldonado, is in hiding. And every now and then, like when they broadcast an interview with the deposed president, their signal is suddenly blocked. Reporter Luis Galdamez, who hosts a show on Radio Globo, is back on the air but the military told him not to criticize the new government. He refuses to buckle, but he’s scared. “I get death threats every day. I don’t even read my text messages anymore, they’re so grotesque” he said. On our insistence, he pulled out his iphone and randomly picked from the 64 new messages he had. “We’re watching you,” the message read. “We know where you live and how many children you have. If you keep talking shit, we’re going to hang you and cut out your tongue for talking shit. Remember what happened in the 80s.” Galdamez, a single father, is under tremendous pressure. At night, he sees cars without license plates outside his house, rifles pointing out the window. He wants to leave the country, but doesn’t know where he and his children could go. Another radio station under attack is Radio Progreso in the city of Progreso. Four hours after the coup around 25 soldiers stormed into the studios of the community-based station and closed it down. Hundreds of local people quickly gathered to defend the station and demand that the military leave. Thanks to the tremendous outpouring of support, Radio Progreso opened the next day, Monday, but by Tuesday the soldiers were back again. The station is now transmitting clandestinely. While the coup leaders say they are bringing back democracy by deposing an autocratic president, their first actions after kidnapping the president and flying him to Costa Rica was to keep the public in the dark. At the time of the coup on June 28, they cut the electricity and when it came back on four hours later, news programs had been replaced by music shows, soap operas, sports and cooking lessons. By day two, most TV and radio stations were back on the air, but the National Telecommunications Commission (CONATEL) notified cable TV operators of a ban on broadcasting certain international TV stations such as Telesur, Cubavisión Internacional and CNN Español. The pro-Zelaya Channels 36, 45 and 50 were also banned, their studios surrounded by soldiers. Another TV station not allowed to broadcast was Canal 66 Maya TV. "They've taken off the air everyone who does not support the coup," said Santos Gonzalez, a Channel 50 reporter. The owner of Channel 36, Esdras Amado Lopez, received threats that he would be arrested and went into hiding. A week after the coup, the station was still shut and surrounded by soldiers. The government-operated Channel 8, located inside the heavily guarded presidential palace, was taken off the air but was back in business on Wednesday—transmitting the new government’s propaganda. All of the TV stations are now decidedly pro-coup, devoting significant coverage to demonstrations in favor of the new government while ignoring or minimizing mass rallies supporting Zelaya. The only reason there is not more press censorship in Honduras today is because most of the media—TV, print and radio—is owned by businesspeople who support the coup. Edgardo Dumas, publisher of the large circulation daily La Tribuna and the country’s former Defense Minister, claims that rumors about censorship are “totally and absolutely false.” In a July 2 interview with W Radio in Bogotá, Colombia, Dumas claimed, “I don’t see any limit on freedom of the press. The four newspapers are putting out impartial and true news. No TV or radio station has been interfered with." When asked why CNN was cut, he said it was “misinforming” the public and was “on the payroll of the dictator of Venezuela Hugo Chavez.” The more educated Hondurans are now seeking information from the internet and text messages, but most Hondurans are getting a daily dose of pro-coup propaganda and journalists who oppose the government are doing so at great risk to themselves and their families. The Honduran people should have the right to know what their new leaders, in the name of democracy, are doing to destroy the very basic foundations of a democratic system—a free press. Fuente: rightsaction.org