Incident highlights troubling rise in hostility directed at media, as documented by Women Press Freedom

Location: Honduras, Tegucigalpa
Date: June 6, 2024

Women Press Freedom strongly condemns the severe threats faced by Thelma Mejía, a prominent journalist for Channel 5 in Tegucigalpa, attributed to activists linked to the ruling party, Libertad y Refoundación. Honduras remains one of the most dangerous countries for journalists in Latin America, with over a hundred journalists murdered since the turn of the century. Women Press Freedom strongly condemns the harassment of Mejía and urges the Honduran government to take immediate and decisive action to ensure the safety of journalists.

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Journalist Thelma Mejía took to her social media platform on June 6, 2024, to reveal the alarming nature of the threats she has faced for her work.

"The time has come to 'remove my ovaries,' that my account is going to be hacked, that I have to keep quiet, are some of the intensities received in the last few hours by the virulent digital troops and activists linked to the ruling party," she states.

Mejía, known for her critical stance on various issues, believes the threats targeting her do not reflect an official government policy. She sees them as the actions of individuals seeking to curry favor with the ruling party.

"These are isolated people who want to look good with their work, with their government, believing that by attacking, polarizing the country, they are going to build a stronger government."

While the government has publicly condemned the threats against Mejía, the effectiveness of its response is in question. The Minister of Human Rights invited Mejía to report her concerns to the National Mechanism for the Protection of Journalists. Still, this entity lacks credibility among journalists due to significant deficiencies, including inadequate funding and limited civil society involvement.

This case echoes a similar case documented by Women Press Freedom in January 2024 involving Yalile Dubón Pérez. The journalist faced threats after reporting on the arrest of the mayor's son for illegal possession of firearms. The threats against Pérez's safety are believed to be linked to people associated with the local municipal leadership, indicating a direct attempt to silence her reporting.

Both incidents are emblematic of the disturbing trend of hostility towards media professionals in the country.  "We are entering a stage of great virulence where the media and journalists are being the center of attacks by intolerant people," Mejía remarks.

Press freedom in Honduras has deteriorated significantly over the past decade, marked by a steady decline since the 2009 coup. The country now stands as one of the most dangerous places for journalists in the Americas, fostering an atmosphere of fear and self-censorship. Since 2000, over a hundred journalists have been killed in the country, including Thalía Rodríguez in  2022 and Santi Carvajal in 2019. There is widespread impunity for crimes against journalists, with 90% of such murders going unpunished according to 2022 figures.

Women Press Freedom condemns the harassment of Thelma Mejía and urges the Honduran government to take immediate and concrete steps to protect journalists and uphold press freedom. This includes reforming the National Mechanism for the Protection of Journalists to ensure its credibility and effectiveness, as well as addressing the underlying issues contributing to the hostile environment faced by journalists in the country. Without such actions, the rights and safety of journalists like Mejía will continue to be at risk.

Women Press Freedom is an initiative by The Coalition For Women In Journalism

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

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