Freedom of the press and freedom of expression continued to face an adverse environment in Honduras, characterized by threats, assaults, harassment, stigmatization, digital violence, and impunity. Risks were particularly high for journalists and media outlets investigating corruption, organized crime, drug trafficking, and other politically sensitive issues.
Although these rights are constitutionally protected, obstacles to their effective exercise persist. The Constitution recognizes the freedom to express thoughts through any medium, without prior censorship (Article 72); protects media outlets from seizure, confiscation, or closure motivated by the exercise of freedom of expression (Article 73); and prohibits indirect restrictions through official or private controls (Article 74).
The Committee for Freedom of Expression (C-Libre) documented 60 attacks on freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and access to public information between January and June 2026. According to the organization, the main risk factors were associated with agrarian and territorial conflicts, social mobilizations, corruption allegations, demands for transparency, and actions by public institutions.
In May, the National Human Rights Commissioner (CONADEH) warned of threats, assaults, harassment, and intimidation against journalists, as well as situations of risk that have led to forced displacement. The institution also reported that in 2025 it received 208 complaints involving alleged violations of freedom of thought and expression.
In June, C-Libre expressed concern over Decree No. 84-2026 and warned that some of its provisions expand state powers of surveillance, access to sensitive information, and intelligence gathering, which, according to the organization, could affect freedom of expression, privacy, and the protection of journalistic sources.
The 2025 Chapultepec Index of Freedom of Expression and Press in the Americas ranked Honduras 16th among the 23 countries evaluated, placing it in the “high restriction” category, with a score of 35.64 out of 100. The assessment covered the period from November 2, 2024, to November 1, 2025. The IAPA report noted that Honduras has remained in this category since 2023 and linked the deterioration to the beginning of Xiomara Castro’s administration and the political crisis in the National Congress.
The November 2025 electoral process was also accompanied by attacks and stigmatizing rhetoric against journalists. C-Libre documented 50 alerts involving politically motivated attacks during the pre-election period, election day, and the following two months. According to the organization, state and political actors were among the main alleged perpetrators.
In this context, the Public Prosecutor’s Office filed charges in July against retired General Roosevelt Hernández, former Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces, for alleged offenses related to attacks on press freedom. The investigation originated from publications disseminated through an institutional digital media outlet of the Armed Forces, which journalists denounced as part of an alleged discrediting campaign. Hernández rejected the accusations and maintained that the publications were protected by freedom of expression.
Journalists Rodrigo Wong Arévalo, Juan Carlos Sierra, Dagoberto Rodríguez, and José Adán López, who filed the complaint in the case, said they are seeking guarantees of due process and freedom of expression.
A central element of the investigation is an article titled “Sicarios de la verdad” (“Hitmen of the Truth”), published on May 26, 2025, by an official media outlet of the Armed Forces. According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, this publication and other public statements allegedly contributed to stigmatizing journalists and undermining the exercise of press freedom. On September 1, 2026, a judge ordered Hernández to face formal criminal proceedings, subject to noncustodial precautionary measures. His defense appealed the ruling on September 4, seeking its reversal and the definitive dismissal of the charges. The case remains pending a decision by the Court of Appeals. On October 15, two human rights organizations submitted an amicus curiae brief calling for a timely ruling and respect for the rights and procedural guarantees of all parties.
During the period, new forms of pressure through digital platforms were also reported. C-Libre reported complaints from media outlets concerning the removal of content and restrictions imposed on their accounts following mass claims of alleged copyright violations.
In July, Contracorriente reported that 32 of its investigations were subject to claims of alleged copyright infringement within a three-day period, after which its Instagram account was temporarily suspended. That same month, Criterio.hn reported that at least 14 of its Instagram posts were removed as a result of similar claims, despite the outlet’s assertion that the material had been produced entirely by its journalistic team.
In August, the Central American Journalists Network warned of threats, surveillance, police harassment, and digital attacks against journalists. These incidents form part of a broader environment of pressure and stigmatization from various political and state sectors that continues to affect conditions for the free practice of journalism.
Violence and impunity remain among the main obstacles to the practice of journalism. According to CONADEH, 103 people affiliated with media outlets were violently killed between 2001 and 2026. The institution indicated that 88% of these cases remain unresolved and that only 12% have resulted in convictions.
