Honduras: impunity against media closures

[Judi Lynn]

Honduras: impunity against media closures
14 Apr 2010

On 12 April, a court dropped all the charges against the former commissioners of the National Telecommunications Commission (CONATEL), accused of the closure of two media during the political crisis of 2009. The Human Rights special prosecutor had accused them of the crime of abuse of authority, for ordering the closing of Channel 36 and Radio Globo, in the context of the political crisis created after the coup d’état against Manuel Zelaya.

http://www.indexoncensorship.org/2010/04/honduras-impunity-against-media-closures/

~~~~~~
Google translation of article:

April 13, 2010
Court makes closing impunity media

C-Libre/IFEX) - Judge Martha Murillo, the Penal Court, branch of Tegucigalpa, issued on April 12, 2010 "dismissal" in the trial brought against the former president of the National Telecommunications Commission (CONATEL ), Miguel Angel Rhodes, and commissioners who were part of the board of that entity, extending also a letter releasing all the accused.

Rodas, Eduardo Héctor Pavón, Enrique Martel and Germain Gustavo Adolfo Lara was accused by the prosecution for abuse of authority by ordering the confiscation of equipment and the closure of Canal 36, Sur Cholusat and Radio Globo, September 28 2009, under the repression of freedom of expression during the coup.

According to Murillo judge the "dismissal" was issued for the seizure and closure of newspapers was conducted in a "state of emergency" and therefore determined that no violation of the right to free expression.

Defense Attorney of Human Rights, Sandra Ponce, said that prosecutors are not happy with that decision, because "is not properly grounded and represents a clear violation of human rights in the country."

"The judge ruled that was not committed any crime, akin to the freedom of press and freedom of information and ensuring the inviolability of the media, does not consider that Article 187 provides an exhaustive list of rights and not arbitrarily can join other rights that are not recorded, so that the prosecution will appeal the ruling this week, "said prosecutor Sandra Ponce.

The Constitution of Honduras provides in Article 73 that teams are a means of communication may not be seized, confiscated, or even shut down or disrupted the proceedings. This article is not included among the securities that can be suspended in a state of emergency.

The audience was made the director of Channel 36 and Southern Cholusat, Esdras Amado Lopez, his lawyer and the prosecutor Marcos Zelaya Ponce. However, Rhodes and the other commissioners accused did not attend, be represented by counsel.

http://ifex.org/honduras/2010/04/13/conatel_not_responsible/es/

Didn't we hear the new Honduras leader has sent General Romeo Vásquez Velásquez, who violently entered Zelaya's home and kidnapped him, to be the new head of CONATEL?

[Wilms]

1. k&r n/t