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13 August 2012 | Community Radios | Free Honduras | No to the coup d’état in Paraguay | Human rights | Social activists at risk
A Step Backward
United Nations Rapporteur on the Right to Freedom of Expression: There Are Links Between Coups in Honduras and Paraguay
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The United Nations Rapporteur on the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, Frank La Rue, visited Honduras and said the situation in the country and the ousting of Fernando Lugo in Paraguay are examples of a step backward in terms of the right to freedom of expression in Latin America.
Radio Progreso interviewed La Rue while he was visiting the Honduran capital, Tegucigalpa, last week. The Latin American Association of Radio Education (ALER) reproduced some of the words of the UN Rapporteur where he talks about the situation in Paraguay. He claimed that “in Honduras they laid the ground to cause a backward movement in Latin America” in terms of freedom of expression.
“Being a journalist in Honduras is more dangerous than in other countries”, he said. “Every act of violence that is not resolved is an act of intimidation towards all the press that causes censorship”.
La Rue defined the situation in Paraguay, where President Fernando Lugo was ousted on June 22 and an illegitimate regime was put in power to replace him, as tragic.
“The precedent of Honduras laid the ground for this step backward. It is outrageous that the legitimacy of democratic power is questioned and that they consider it possible to take a government down when the interests of a certain sector are affected; it is extremely dangerous”, he said.
La Rue also warned about other destabilizing attempts in different regions in Latin America.
Photo: http://ea.com.py/
