There have been no major violations of free speech and press freedom in recent months. Such cases that have been reported spring from legal problems due to legislation that does not contribute to there being a climate of unfettered freedom for the practice of journalism and from complaints about discrimination in the placement of official advertising.
The major developments were the following:
In February, former Honduran Comptroller General Vera Sofía Rubí filed suit charging the Hondutel telephone company with espionage and in May the accusation was extended to include Radio América reporter Sandra Maribel Sánchez. In her radio program Sánchez had a private telephone conversation between Rubí and the then Supreme Court chief justice, Armando Avila Banegas in which they used what was seen as inappropriate language about actions taken by the judiciary. The case remains before the courts.
Executives and journalists of the Hondured television station complained of government discrimination against it in the placement of official advertising in retaliation for its criticism of a personal trip that President Ricardo Maduro had made to Naples, Italy, in June.
Nery Recarte, a reporter for a radio station in Siguatepeque in central Honduras, said she had received death threats in mid-year that she believed were made by local city officials. She had been reporting on allegations of wrongdoing in the local administration.
Reporter and news director of Channel 11 TV, José Adán Castelar, said that he had been fired for not covering a rally by coffee producers organized by supporters of José Angel Saavedra, a member of the Jaime Rosenthal Oliva political movement, which owns the television station.
On October 8, the City of San Pedro Sula ordered closure of the offices of the Vica Televisión company, citing non-payment of taxes. Broadcasts were not affected. The order was lifted shortly afterwards, officials saying it had been made in error.
