via email: mprelacionespublicas@gmail.com ngosorto@gmail.com
Óscar Fernando Chinchilla Banegas, Attorney General of Honduras
via email: karlacueva144@gmail.com
Lica. Karla Cueva, Secretary of State for Human Rights Affairs
Dear Attorney General Chincilla and Secretary Cueva:
We are horrified at the attack in Tegucigalpa on Sandra Maribel Sánchez, an anchor and journalist for Radio Progreso. On September 26 at about 5:30p.m. when she was getting out of her car at her home, an unidentified man got off a motorcycle that had no license plates, pointed a 9mm caliber revolver at her head and ordered her to get back in the car. Fortunately for Sandra Sánchez, another car came by at that moment and the attacker immediately fled.
Sánchez believes she was targeted because of her critical reporting on the Honduran armed forces, the security crisis in Honduras, and allegations of government corruption. In 2018 she received death threats by phone for her reporting on proposed government plans to privatize the health system.
She has refused to report the incident to authorities or file a complaint with the Prosecutor’s Office because of the personal information that is being required for a risk assessment. Her previous complaints to that office have gone unresolved.
The attempt on Sandra Sánchez’ life is further evidence of the threatening conditions under which journalists work in Honduras. This attack follows the murders this year of TV journalists Leonardo Gabriel Hernández (cf our letter of March 24) and Edgar Joel Aguilar (cf our letter of September 22). According to the National Commissioner for Human Rights (CONADEH), about 80 journalists have been killed in Honduras in the last 10 years.
We strongly urge that you
- investigate the assassination attempt on Sandra Maribel Sánchez, publish the results and bring those responsible to justice;
- develop and enforce strong protocols to protect journalists that will enable them to carry out their work without fear for their lives.
Sincerely,
Brian J. Stefan Szittai and Christine Stonebraker-Martinez
Co-Coordinators
copies: María Dolores Agüero, Ambassador of Honduras to the US ~ via website or fax, and US mail
Colleen Hoey, Chargé d’Affaires, US Embassy in Honduras ~ via email
Nate Rettenmayer, Political Officer at the US Embassy in Honduras ~via email
David Tagle, Honduras Desk, US State Dept ~ via email
Joel Hernández, Rapporteur for Honduras, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights ~ via email and US mail
Edison Lanza, Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights ~ via email and US mail
