Militarization, Arrests, Threats and Persecution Precede Honduran Election

Two articles from Prensa Latina:

Arrests and Militarization Precede Honduran Elections.

Tegucigalpa, Nov 21 (Prensa Latina) News media closures, illegal
detentions and militarization increase, portray today’s panorama in
Honduras just 8 days from the illegal elections called by the de
facto regime.

In the last hours the television channel 36 was taken off the air,
one of the main press elements opposed to the June 28 Coup d’ Etat
against President Manuel Zelaya.

“We hold the regime chief Roberto Micheletti responsible for this
new interruption” the channel’ s head, Esdras Amado Lopez said and
he specified the signal was substituted by porno and cowboy films.

Meanwhile, Dina Meza from the Committee of Relatives of Missing
Prisoners, revealed night arrests accomplished by the security forces
in capital districts.

Several young people playing in the Lempira’s court and others from
Bella Vista neighbourhood were arrested and beaten, Meza informed.

Leaders of the National Front against the Coup d’ Etat and Human
Rights defenders warned of the fierce repressions planned by the coup
for the elections day.

According to the Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous
Organizations, the army sent troops to all departments and 800
mercenaries were dispersed in the southwest with the aim of
suppressing any movement.

The Armed Forces are scattered all over the country, for this there
are 11 military regions and every commander is responsible of the
security of his region and they have instructions and ways to operate he notified.

These forces demanded the mayors to make a list of the people who
they considered are enemies of the electoral process to neutralize
them and the district attorney’ s office order the 530 prosecutors
in the country to be ready to chase them.

The democratically-elected President, Manuel Zelaya, who from his
returning to the country has stayed in the Brazilian Embassy,
inquired the elections to be postponed until the institutional order
is restored.

Threats, Detentions, Persecutions Prior to Honduran Polls
Escrito por Ileana Ferrer Fonte
domingo, 22 de noviembre de 2009

Tegucigalpa, Nov 22 (Prensa Latina) The Committee of Relatives of the Detained and Disappeared in Honduras (COFADEH) has denounced a rise in death threats, detentions and persecutions against opponents of the coup prior to the November 29 elections.

A release from that organization expresses concern for the deterioration of human rights and alert the international community the dictatorship prepares a fierce repression against the people before and during the November 29 polls.

The unusual deployment of the army’s soldiers, police and paramilitary groups to guard polling stations is an evidence of that, COFADEH stated.

Meanwhile, the leader of the de facto regime Roberto Micheletti has threatened to severely punish those who call not to vote in elections. The polling has been termed illegal by the Front against the Coup d’Etat, a vast alliance of people’s organizations.

The governments of Guatemala and Ecuador have ratified this weekend they will not accept results of the elections without the re-establishment of the constitutional order.

Zelaya was kidnapped by hooded soldiers who forcibly took him away to Costa Rica on June 28.

After two unsuccessful attempts to return to Honduras, the statesman finally managed to enter the country by surprise last September 21. Since then he has stayed at the Brazilian embassy, surrounded by a strong police and military force.