In another crime against journalists in Latin America, Honduran Ricardo Ávila died days after being shot in the head in the village of Santa Cruz, near the city of Choluteca. A local organization that advocates freedom of the press is contesting the police’s official version of the crime.
Ávila was attacked while riding a motorcycle on May 26 and remained in the hospital in serious condition until May 29, when doctors announced his death at a hospital in the capital Tegucigalpa. He was 25 years old.
The Inter-American Press Association (IAPA) has urged Honduran authorities to consider journalistic activities among the causes of Ricardo Ávila’s death.
Journalist killed in Honduras gave place to social movements
Deadly attacks on the press have increased at an alarming rate in Latin America. At least 19 crimes were recorded in the region in the first half of this year.
In Honduras alone, the group C-Libre, which fights for freedom of expression in the country, counts four deaths of media professionals in 2022.
International organizations such as the IAPA, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) do not confirm the total number of deaths from work or journalism-related causes in Honduras as published by C-Libre.
According to the IAPA, the case preceding Ávila’s Pablo Isabel Hernández Rivera, director and journalist of community radio station Tenán 94.1 FM, “La Voz Indígena Lenca”, was killed on January 9 in the municipality of San Marcos de Caiquín.
However, all organizations are aware of the risks for professionals in the country and the Latin region of the Southern Hemisphere.
And most cases follow a path similar to that of Honduran journalist Ricardo Ávila. He came from a small town and worked as a cameraman for the Metro TV television station in Choluteca, where he also presented the Saturday news. Metro Tv News Weekend.
On May 26, at around 5 am, a press professional was shot in the head by an unknown person. At the time of the crime, he was riding a motorcycle in the village where he lived.
Police stated that the incident was a robbery followed by death (latrocinio), but C-Libre disputes this version.
The group’s director, Amada Ordoñez, told CPJ that the journalist was not the victim of a robbery because his belongings, including money, cell phone and motorcycle, were found with him, adding that “The C-Libre confirms that this was not a robbery.” “partner”.
On the group’s website, they reaffirmed this statement, which contradicts the police’s version:
“It is clear that the crime against Ricardo Ávila stemmed from the practice of his profession, as this social communicator was shot in the early hours of the morning and fell to be taken to the hospital when he was rescued. His family and friends found all his belongings, his motorcycle, his wallet and even his cell phone.”
Ávila was known for following social movements in Choluteca and protests against the controversial economic development zones known as ZEDE, Ordoñez told CPJ.
According to the group, Metro TV is the only local media to watch these protests, so they believe the attack was “a retaliation for Avila’s reporting on these issues.”
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Carlos Martinez de la Serna, CPJ’s New York program director, called for a thorough investigation into the professional’s death by Honduran authorities:
“Honduras must end the impunity for the murders of journalists and carry out a thorough investigation to bring the murderer to justice,” he said.
According to CPJ, at least eight journalists have been killed for their work in Honduras since 1992. The committee is investigating 27 more cases to determine if the deaths had any connection to journalistic activities.
Crimes against journalists increase in Latin America in 2022
The war in Ukraine and crimes against journalists in Latin America caused the number of media professionals killed to skyrocket in 2022.
In Mexico alone, 11 media workers died in the first half of this year. The latest cases were recorded in May with the deaths of Yessenia Mollinedo Falconi and Sheila Johana García Olivera, director and reporter of the news site. in El Veraz, Cosoleacaque.
They died when they were shot in front of a convenience store. Both were threatened because of the scope of local crimes.
HE The attack took place on the same day that Mexicans organized to protest the 9th murdered journalist. this year, Luis Enrique Ramírez Ramos.
Mexico is a major concern for national and foreign press freedom advocates, who point to the increasing risks faced by women journalists.
Professionals from small and regional organizations such as El Veraz, where Yessenia and Sheila work, account for the majority of crimes against media professionals recorded in the country and region as a whole.
In addition to Mexico and Honduras, other Latin American countries where deadly crimes against journalists have been recorded, Brazil (1)Chile (1), Haiti (3) and Guatemala (1).
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source: Noticias
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