Groups condemn killings of journalists in Honduras [View All]

[Judi Lynn]

Source: CNN

Groups condemn killings of journalists in Honduras
April 2, 2010 -- Updated 1100 GMT (1900 HKT)

http://i.cdn.turner.com.nyud.net:8090/cnn/2010/WORLD/americas/04/02/honduras.journalist.killings.condemned/t1larg.jpg

Family and friends of murdered journalist Joseph Hernandez Ochoa protest in front of the U.S.
embassy in last month.

(CNN) -- Honduras suffered nine months of political turmoil after a military-led coup removed the elected president. Now, it joins Mexico, riddled with drug violence, as the deadliest place for journalists working in the Western hemisphere.

The recent killings of five Honduran journalists have spurred outrage from human rights groups, who say the violence has led to widespread self-censorship in the local media.

~snip~
Jose Bayardo Mairena and Manuel Juarez, journalists for radio stations Excelsior and Super 10, were attacked Friday while driving from Catacamas and Juticalpa, north of the capital Tegucigalpa, CPJ said citing local news reports.

Unidentified gunmen in a vehicle pulled alongside the journalists' car and fired at least 26 times. Mairena died at the scene; Juarez died later in a hospital in Juticalpa.

~snip~
Journalists are among the victims of a wave of terror in Honduras since the June 29 coup.

Three Honduran political activists opposed to the coup were slain last month, according to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. The panel has also reported kidnappings, arbitrary detentions, torture, sexual violations and illegal raids against members of the political resistance.

Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/04/02/honduras.journalist.killings.condemned/index.html