18. ISRAEL ZELAYA DÍAZ DATE OF DEATH August 24, 2010 JOB DESCRIPTION Manager of the program “Claro y Pelado” transmitted on San Pedro Sula’s Radio Inter-
nacional OTHER INFORMATION Shot and killed by unknown assailants; personal belongings were not stolen • Reported on a range of topics, including politics and crime • Home had been damaged by arson three months prior to his murder • A former member of the National Police was arrested in March 2012, suspected of having participated in the murder539• In January 2013, the former policeman was convicted of killing a businessman in 2011;540 not clear whether he is still thought to be linked to Zelaya’s murder • According to the Office of the Public Prosecutor (Ministerio Público), as of July 2013 investigations were ongoing and new evidence was being sought STATUS Case unsolved IMPUNITY Yes
19. HENRY ORLANDO SUAZO SANTOS DATE OF DEATH December 28, 2010 Correspondent for Radio HRN in Tegucigalpa and news presenter for Cablevisión del Atlántico OTHER INFORMATION Killed by assailants • Prior to his death, he publically stated that he had received death threats • Honduran government indicated that in January 2011 the Office of the Public Prosecutor filed a criminal complaint against the alleged murderer and issued a warrant for the suspect’s arrest STATUS Suspect confirmed • No arrest, but warrant issued IMPUNITY Yes JOB DESCRIPTION
20. HÉCTOR FRANCISCO MEDINA POLANCO DATE OF DEATH May 10, 2011 Social communicator who produced and hosted the “TV9” news program for San Pedro Sula cable company Omega Visión OTHER INFORMATION Shot and killed by unknown heavily armed assailants • Had reported on corruption in the local mayor’s office and on regional land disputes • Had received threats, including death threats • Reporters Without Borders stated that he was almost certainly killed in relation to his work as a journalist541• Honduran government indicated that investigations and interviews of witnesses and others who knew the deceased had been conducted • Suspect arrested August 22, 2012542 • On November 18, 2013, the suspect was convicted of Medina’s murder; sentence of 20-30 years in prison expected543 • An arrest warrant has been issued for one other suspect544 STATUS Suspect confirmed • Arrest made • Conviction obtained • Sentencing pending IMPUNITY No JOB DESCRIPTION
21. LUIS ERNESTO MENDOZA CERRATO DATE OF DEATH May 19, 2011 Owner of cable company Macrosistema and Danlí’s Canal 24 OTHER INFORMATION Killed by unknown heavily armed assailants • Police stated they believed it to be a contract killing • Honduran government indicated that the case is related to another case and that an investigation was being conducted STATUS Case unsolved IMPUNITY Yes JOB DESCRIPTION
22. ADÁN BENÍTEZ DATE OF DEATH July 5, 2011 Social communicator and television producer OTHER INFORMATION Was stopped by unknown assailants who stripped him of his valuables before killing him • Had recently reported on crimes committed by a gang involved in breaking into cars545 • According to the Office of the Public Prosecutor (Ministerio Público), Benítez is not considered to be a journalist. While he produced music programmes for a radio station until 2002 he had more recently been an advertisement announcer STATUS Case unsolved IMPUNITY Yes JOB DESCRIPTION
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