Shots Fired at Globo TV Journalist Ms Fidelina Sandoval

Since 2008, at least 30 journalists have been killed and obviously, the problem is ongoing.

(YORK, UK) - William Nicholas Gomes believes that the attempted assassination of Honduran journalist Fidelina Sandoval is directly related to her human rights work and in particular her work as a journalist.

He is voicing seriously concern for the physical and psychological integrity of Fidelina Sandoval and her family.

This attempt to kill or harm Fidelina Sandoval comes at a time when violence against journalists in Honduras is escalating.

Since 2008, at least 30 journalists have been killed and obviously, the problem is ongoing. The act of cowardice was carried out in an attempt to silence a critic of government corruption and powerful business interests.

Corroborating the point, is the fact that the Honduran government has failed to bring to justice a single suspect in the journalist murders.

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S.E. Presidente Porfirio Lobo Sosa
Oficina del Presidente
Casa Presidencial
Blvd Juan Pablo II
Tegucigalpa
Honduras

Your Excellency,

I am William Nicholas Gomes , Human Rights Ambassador for Salem-News.com.

On 8 April 2013, human rights defender and journalist, Ms Fidelina Sandoval, was shot at metres from the television station where she works. Fidelina Sandoval is a journalist with Globo TV who covers a number of issues relating to human rights, security and civil society organisations.

On 8 April 2013, at approximately 8.25 a.m., Fidelina Sandoval was crossing Boulevar Morazán on her way to work when a grey van with two men sitting in the front caught her attention. She turned her face so as not to be looking directly at them, but seconds later heard a shot fired from a gun. Once she had assessed that she had not been hit she approached two guards and a taxi driver who were nearby. They asked her if she had any enemies as the shots were aimed at her.

The previous week Fidelina Sandoval had addressed issues relating to police reforms and the killings of members of the peasant movement in the Bajo Aguan, following which she had received two strange calls from unknown persons. On 4 April an interview was broadcast on the evening news in which the Police Commissioner gave details of the police reform process.

This attempt on Fidelina Sandoval comes in the context of an escalation of violence against journalists and those exercising their right to freedom of expression in Honduras. It has been reported that since 2009 at least 30 journalists have been killed across the country and to date the authorities have failed to find, prosecute and imprison the intellectual authors and perpetrators of those killings.

I believe that the attempted assassination of Fidelina Sandoval is directly related to her human rights work and in particular her work as a journalist. I am seriously concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Fidelina Sandoval and her family.

I urge the authorities in Honduras to:

1. Carry out an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into the assassination attempt of human rights defender and journalist Fidelina Sandoval, with a view to publishing the results and bringing those responsible to justice in accordance with international standards;

2. Take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity and security of Fidelina Sandoval and her family;

3. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders and journalists in Honduras are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities and to exercise their right to freedom of expression, without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions.

Yours Sincerely,
William Nicholas Gomes
Human Rights Ambassador for Salem-News.com
www.williamnicholasgomes.com

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Salem-News.com Human Rights Ambassador William Nicholas Gomes is a Bangladeshi journalist, human rights activist and author was born on 25 December, 1985 in Dhaka. As an investigative journalist he wrote widely for leading European and Asian media outlets.

He is also active in advocating for free and independent media and journalists’ rights, and is part of the free media movement, Global Independent Media Center – an activist media network for the creation of radical, accurate, and passionate telling of the truth. He worked for Italian news agency Asianews.it from year 2009 to 2011, on that time he was accredited as a free lance journalist by the press information department of Bangladesh. During this time he has reported a notable numbers of reports for the news agency which were translated into Chinese and Italian and quoted by notable number of new outlets all over the world.He, ideologically, identifies himself deeply attached with anarchism. His political views are often characterized as “leftist” or “left-wing,” and he has described himself as an individualist anarchist.