Journalists in Honduras are facing growing danger, the country's human rights commissioner has warned.
Ramon Custodio was speaking to the Spanish news agency, Efe, a day after a radio host was shot dead.
Luz Marina Paz was the 17th media worker to be killed in Honduras over the past couple of years, rights groups say.
Honduras has the highest murder rate in the world: 82 killings per 100,000 people, according to the UN.
Ms Paz and her driver were shot dead as they travelled through the capital, Tegucigalpa.
The journalist, who had a morning news programme, was reported to have received death threats for refusing to pay extortion money.
Hours earlier, gunmen had shot at the offices of La Tribuna newspaper, injuring a security guard.
"We are in more danger than ever, because we don't know where the attacks against journalists and media organisations are coming from," La Tribuna's editor, Adan Elvir, told Efe.
His comments were echoed by Human Rights Commissioner Ramon Custodio.
"The danger we all in Honduras are experiencing is intensifying in an important part of society, namely the media, which are suffering threats, attacks and murders," Mr Custodio said.
Police upheaval
Luz Marina Paz was the 17th media worker to be killed in Honduras over the past couple of years, rights groups say.
Honduras has the highest murder rate in the world: 82 killings per 100,000 people, according to the UN.
Ms Paz and her driver were shot dead as they travelled through the capital, Tegucigalpa.
The journalist, who had a morning news programme, was reported to have received death threats for refusing to pay extortion money.
Hours earlier, gunmen had shot at the offices of La Tribuna newspaper, injuring a security guard.
"We are in more danger than ever, because we don't know where the attacks against journalists and media organisations are coming from," La Tribuna's editor, Adan Elvir, told Efe.
His comments were echoed by Human Rights Commissioner Ramon Custodio.
"The danger we all in Honduras are experiencing is intensifying in an important part of society, namely the media, which are suffering threats, attacks and murders," Mr Custodio said.
Police upheaval
 |
| Honduran President Manuel Zelaya |
"There is no doubt that we are facing an escalation (in violence) and we have to identify clearly where it is coming from," Mr Lobo said.
"Given the difficult moments the national police is experiencing, there are some who are taking advantage of the latest upheaval."
Last month, dozens of police officers were sacked in a crackdown on corruption and organised crime.
The alleged involvement of officers in the high-profile murders of two students in November also increased calls for police reform.
The Honduran government has begun deploying troops to help combat criminal gangs and drug traffickers.
Photo references:
Media: rctv-threat-weil.gif
Manuel Zelaya: topics.nytimes.com
0 comments:
Post a Comment