Héctor Francisco Medina Polanco
Encyclopedia
Héctor Francisco Medina Polanco was a Honduran journalist that often reported on agricultural and corruption issues in Honduras
. He was killed in front of his home on May 10, 2011, and was a employee of Omega Visión.
, a town outside the nearby city of El Progreso
. He died the next day from related complications at a municipal hospital in San Pedro Sula
. Front Line believes that the killing of Héctor Francisco Medina Polanco is directly related to his work in the defence of human rights and in particular his reporting of agricultural and corruption issues in Honduras
. Medina's body was given to his mother this afternoon at the morgue of the Public Ministry and immediately transferred to Morazán
, where he will be veiled and buried.
. As a result, he has taken a temporary leave of absence
from his position at the station. In addition, he reported that, on 10 June 2011, his 16-year-old daughter was kidnapped
, assaulted and questioned about his activities for three hours. “The trauma caused by the coup continues to affect Honduran society and the current demonstrations are an expression of this,” AMARC-ALC and Reporters Without Borders
said. “The repression has been stepped up again in the wake of the testimony about the situation that representatives of grass-roots movements, civil society organizations and NGOs gave to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
, now in session.
The World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters for Latin America and Caribbean (AMARC-ALC) and Reporters Without Borders
appeal again for an end to the hostility toward community and opposition media (or what are regarded as opposition media) amid the continuing social unrest in Honduras
. “It is clear from what has been happening that the government has not kept the promises it made to the United Nations Human Rights Council
. As regards the areas covered by our mandates, we believe that there will be no peace in Honduras
as long as:
Two serious violations have occurred in the course of the demonstrations of the past few days, in addition to those already reported.
The first was on 28 March, when the activist Miriam Miranda was beaten by police and soldiers and was then arrested and held for 12 hours. Miranda is the president of the Fraternal Black Organization of Honduras (Ofraneh), which created Radio Faluma Bimetu (Coco Dulce) a community radio station that has been censored and attacked. Although she has been released, Miranda continues to be absurdly charged with sedition.
The second incident was yesterday’s arrest of Radio Progreso
journalist Pedro López for four hours. López was arrested with two other people while covering a protest against privatization of the education sector, fuel price rises and poor work conditions in garment assembly plants (known as maquilas).
have promised to bring the hit men as well as the masterminds behind the assassination to justice but that to date they are still awaiting information about any results in the investigation. Mr. Porfirio Lobo Sosa and his allies are trying to reinstate Honduras as a OAS member during the General Assembly next June; shading human rights violations that he frequently calls "export political actions by groups that live off that."
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
. He was killed in front of his home on May 10, 2011, and was a employee of Omega Visión.
Death
Medina was shot twice in the chest and once in the arm on his motorcycle by two men also on a motorcycle who followed him to his home in MorazánMorazán
Morazán is a name shared by several places in Central America, all named in honour of 19th century regional statesman Francisco Morazán:*Morazán Department, El Salvador*Francisco Morazán Department, Honduras* Morazán, Yoro, municipality in Honduras...
, a town outside the nearby city of El Progreso
El Progreso
The municipality of El Progreso is located in the Honduran department of Yoro. Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport of San Pedro Sula is located west of the city. To the east of the city is the mountain range of Mico Quemado ....
. He died the next day from related complications at a municipal hospital in San Pedro Sula
San Pedro Sula
San Pedro Sula is a city in Honduras. It is located in the northwest corner of the country, in the Valle de Sula , about 60 km south of Puerto Cortés on the Caribbean. With an estimated population of 638,259 people in the main municipality, and 802,598 in its metro area , it is the second...
. Front Line believes that the killing of Héctor Francisco Medina Polanco is directly related to his work in the defence of human rights and in particular his reporting of agricultural and corruption issues in Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
. Medina's body was given to his mother this afternoon at the morgue of the Public Ministry and immediately transferred to Morazán
Morazán
Morazán is a name shared by several places in Central America, all named in honour of 19th century regional statesman Francisco Morazán:*Morazán Department, El Salvador*Francisco Morazán Department, Honduras* Morazán, Yoro, municipality in Honduras...
, where he will be veiled and buried.
Context
Journalist Carlos Alberto Medina Polanco, the brother of assassinated journalist Héctor Francisco Medina Polanco, has reported to C-Libre that he has been receiving death threats via messages on his mobile phone. In the messages he has been told to stop demanding an investigation into his brother's death or he will "meet the same fate." He also noted that he has been followed by individuals on a motorcycle when he leaves the radio station for which he works in the city of San Pedro SulaSan Pedro Sula
San Pedro Sula is a city in Honduras. It is located in the northwest corner of the country, in the Valle de Sula , about 60 km south of Puerto Cortés on the Caribbean. With an estimated population of 638,259 people in the main municipality, and 802,598 in its metro area , it is the second...
. As a result, he has taken a temporary leave of absence
Leave of absence
Leave of absence is a term used to describe a period of time that one is to be away from his/her primary job, while maintaining the status of employee...
from his position at the station. In addition, he reported that, on 10 June 2011, his 16-year-old daughter was kidnapped
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
, assaulted and questioned about his activities for three hours. “The trauma caused by the coup continues to affect Honduran society and the current demonstrations are an expression of this,” AMARC-ALC and Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders is a France-based international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press. It was founded in 1985, by Robert Ménard, Rony Brauman and the journalist Jean-Claude Guillebaud. Jean-François Julliard has served as Secretary General since 2008...
said. “The repression has been stepped up again in the wake of the testimony about the situation that representatives of grass-roots movements, civil society organizations and NGOs gave to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights is an autonomous organ of the Organization of American States .Along with the...
, now in session.
Impact
Medina accounts for the 11th journalist killed in Honduras, none of which have been investigated. “It will be hard to celebrate National Day of the Journalist on 25 May if the persecution of community radio stations and news media opposed to the June 2009 coup d’état continues at the same frenetic pace, especially in the San Pedro Sula region, where there have been several cases in recent days,” Reporters Without Borders said.The World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters for Latin America and Caribbean (AMARC-ALC) and Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders is a France-based international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press. It was founded in 1985, by Robert Ménard, Rony Brauman and the journalist Jean-Claude Guillebaud. Jean-François Julliard has served as Secretary General since 2008...
appeal again for an end to the hostility toward community and opposition media (or what are regarded as opposition media) amid the continuing social unrest in Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
. “It is clear from what has been happening that the government has not kept the promises it made to the United Nations Human Rights Council
United Nations Human Rights Council
The United Nations Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations System. The UNHRC is the successor to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights , and is a subsidiary body of the United Nations General Assembly...
. As regards the areas covered by our mandates, we believe that there will be no peace in Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
as long as:
- The impunity continues, not only for the murders of journalists and human rights activists, but also for the attacks and acts of sabotageSabotageSabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
against media, whose perpetrators are known. - The authorities continue to enforce obsolete radiobroadcast and telecommunications laws that allow no place for community media, although legislation for these media is required by Inter-American legal standards.
- The authorities continue to block access to public information about responsibility for the most serious abuses following the coup d'état. Until then, the attitudes of the coup will continue to prevail.”
Two serious violations have occurred in the course of the demonstrations of the past few days, in addition to those already reported.
The first was on 28 March, when the activist Miriam Miranda was beaten by police and soldiers and was then arrested and held for 12 hours. Miranda is the president of the Fraternal Black Organization of Honduras (Ofraneh), which created Radio Faluma Bimetu (Coco Dulce) a community radio station that has been censored and attacked. Although she has been released, Miranda continues to be absurdly charged with sedition.
The second incident was yesterday’s arrest of Radio Progreso
Radio Progreso
Radio Progreso is a Cuban Spanish language radio station....
journalist Pedro López for four hours. López was arrested with two other people while covering a protest against privatization of the education sector, fuel price rises and poor work conditions in garment assembly plants (known as maquilas).
Reactions
According to other sources consulted by C-Libre, the DNIC knows the names of the alleged hit men that murdered Héctor Medina Polanco as well as the amount of money they were allegedly paid for carrying out the assassination. Carlos Medina Polanco noted that both President Porfirio Lobo Sosa and Security Minister Oscar ÁlvarezOscar Álvarez
Oscar Alvarez is a Honduras Nationalist politician who is currently Minister of Public Security in the government of Porfirio Lobo, a position which he held from January 27, 2002 - November 14, 2005 in the government of Ricardo Maduro....
have promised to bring the hit men as well as the masterminds behind the assassination to justice but that to date they are still awaiting information about any results in the investigation. Mr. Porfirio Lobo Sosa and his allies are trying to reinstate Honduras as a OAS member during the General Assembly next June; shading human rights violations that he frequently calls "export political actions by groups that live off that."