This article was written by the Peace Brigades International- Canada Project
On December 22, Dina Meza posted on Facebook:
“We left with no answers from CONADEH [the National Human Rights Commissioner]. Thanks to #PBIHonduras project for their accompaniment this December 22, 2022.”
Three weeks ago, Investigative Reporters tweeted:
“Journalist and human rights defender Dina Meza denounced before @OACNUDHHN [the Office in Honduras of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights] and @CONADEH the “lack of legitimacy of the civil society assembly” that is taking place today to elect councilors before the National Council for the Protection of Journalists…”
The meeting was called by the Coalition against Impunity, and the councilors, in addition to describing the action as illegitimate, have denounced the supposed control of the government in the assembly of the Coalition against Impunity.”
El Heraldo has also reported:
“Various sectors that make up the National Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights denounced that the election of directors that took place on November 29 has defects of nullity.
Dina Meza, said that “we are waiting for the report that the United Nations High Commissioner will issue and the National Commissioner for Human Rights.”
Meza mentioned that two titular counselors and two alternates were elected, which had the consensus of Minister [of Human Rights Natalie] Roque, she said.
“They appointed four representatives who they had already selected on November 18, ignoring the rights of other organizations. We ask Conadeh to verify the legality of the assembly,” she concluded.”
This past May, PBI-Honduras noted:
“Meza expressed concern in her speech [on World Press Freedom Day] about the figures related to violence against journalists. Between 2001 and April 2019, 77 people working in the communications media were killed by violent means, according to data from CONADEH. Moreover, almost 45% of these people were killed since 2014, which means that there has been a rise in the dangers of exercising this profession. Added to the increase in attacks and criminalization are high impunity rates. Indeed, since January 2017, CONADEH has received around one hundred complaints of actions against freedom of expression, more than 90% of which remain unpunished.”
PBI-Honduras has accompanied Meza since May 2014.
Recent social media posts:
“According to the 2022 classification of @RSF_esp, Honduras ranks 165th in the world in terms of press freedom. At PBI, we reiterate the importance of the independence of journalism as well as the safety of those who practice this profession.”
“Dina Meza, president of PEN Honduras and director of @asopodehu, is being besieged by police forces, violating her right to free expression and demonstration, according to public reports by the journalist”
“Police were called by Commissioner Blanca Izaguirre, from Conadeh, because we have come with Jorge Jiménez from JOPRODEH, to request a report on an assembly verification to elect civil society councilors before the National Protection Council faced with something so simple, the public force moved against two defenders who only asked for a response to a complaint on November 28. Unfortunately they violate our civic space to defend human rights.”
Further reading: New Honduran government is dismantling mechanism for protecting journalists (August 19, 2022).
