Freedom of Expression

PRESS RELEASE R45-10

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Freedom of expression is a cornerstone upon which the very existence of a democratic society rests.

Advisory Opinion, OC-5/85, IACtHR

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PRESS RELEASE

 

 No. R/45

 

 

OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR EXPRESSES ITS CONCERN AT THE LATEST MURDER OF A JOURNALIST IN HONDURAS AND AT THE GRAVE VULNERABILITY OF THE MEDIA THERE


Washington D.C., April 22, 2010—The Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) condemns the murder of journalist Jorge Alberto (Georgino) Orellana, which occurred on Tuesday, April 20, 2010, in the city of San Pedro Sula, Honduras. This is the sixth murder of a journalist in that country during 2010, and it once again highlights the serious situation of defenselessness and vulnerability in which the Honduran media finds itself. The Office of the Special Rapporteur strongly urges the state to take all measures necessary to prevent these crimes, protect at-risk journalists, and make quick and decisive progress in the investigations into these crimes.

 

According to the information received by the Office of the Special Rapporteur, Orellana was shot on the evening of Tuesday, April 20, minutes after leaving the offices of the channel Televisión de Honduras, where he hosted an opinion program on current events. The journalist died shortly afterwards from his gunshot wounds.

 

Orellana’s murder marks the sixth time in Honduras so far this year that a journalist has been murdered allegedly due to his or her work. On March 1, 2010, Joseph Hernández Ochoa, a journalist with Channel 51 in Tegucigalpa, was murdered. On March 11, 2010, David Meza Montesinos, a journalist with Channel 10 and radio stations América and El Patio in the city of La Ceiba, was murdered. On March 14, 2010, Nahum Palacios, the news director of Channel 5 in Aguán, was murdered. On March 26, 2010, Bayardo Mairena and Manuel Juárez, both journalists with Excélsior Television and Radio, were murdered on the highway near the city of Juticalpa, Olancho department.

 

The Office of the Special Rapporteur wishes to reiterate its profound concern over the very serious situation facing Honduran journalists and the fact that the investigations into the aforementioned cases have yet to produce results. The Office of the Special Rapporteur urges the state to investigate these cases in a manner that is efficient, diligent, and responsible, using specialized professional investigative units, and it urges the state to capture and duly punish those responsible for these crimes.

 

The Office of the Special Rapporteur reminds the state that Principle 9 of the IACHR Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression states: "The murder, kidnapping, intimidation of and/or threats to social communicators, as well as the material destruction of communications media violate the fundamental rights of individuals and strongly restrict freedom of expression. It is the duty of the state to prevent and investigate such occurrences, to punish their perpetrators and to ensure that victims receive due compensation."