Honduras

HONDURAS The tension created at the beginning of the year by harassment and threats to several journalists, on the part of persons linked to the security forces, have disappeared, shortly after the last anonymous messages against journalists appeared as posters in various locations in TegUcigalpa at the beginning of April 1993. But this improved climate for the practice of journalism continues to be seriously threatened by an article included in the recently-approved Copyright Law, which prohibits "the transmission or reproduction" of programs that "assault culture, morals, the integrity of the family and good customs" and establishes prior censorship as a means to carry out the prohibition. The most important incidents concerning the press during the year were: January 29 - Cameramen Ricardo Amaya and Luis Ayala and television reporter Eduardo Coto Garcia received death threats for inadvertently filming the murder of a businessman in San Pedro Sula, which was blamed on individuals linked to the armed forces. Coto Garcia was given protection in the offices of the daily Tiempo, until Spain granted him political asylum, and he left the country on February 7. Subsequently, a bomb exploded at the home of Yani Rosenthal, the newspaper's general manager. February 12 - The Honduran police chief stated that he had in his possession reports on various journalists and that their movements were being watched. February 22 - An IAPA miSSion, composed of Enrique G6mez, AM, Guanajuato, Mexico, and Carlos Verdeeiil, El Nuevo Herald, Miami, Florida, visited San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa to investigate attacks on journalists blamed on groups linked to the armed forces. Among others, they met with President Leonardo Callejas, who affirmed his respect for press freedom. April 3 - Anonymous posters appeared in several locations in Tegucigalpa threatening various journalists. The posters accused the journalists of receiving money from human rights organizations, business groups and the U.S. Embassy to carry out campaigns against the armed forces and the government. September 1 - The congress ratified Article 156 of the new Copyright Law, which provides for prior censorship of radio and television. The article says: "Totally prohibited, even when the corresponding royalties are pald, shall be the transmission or reproduction of programs, films or plays that attack the culture, morals, family integrity and good customs, according to the criteria of the Censorship Committee of the Secretariat of the Office of Government and Justice." The reform is seen as clearly violating the Honduran Constitution, which establishes the pOSSibility of censorship, but limits it under the Broadcast Law. This law applies censorship only to certain public shows.