Reporters at Radio Globo are commenting live on the air (at the time of this post) that the military has established a presence at the site of the station’s transmitter in Cerro de Canto Gallo. Radio Globo is one of the strongest voices on the airwaves. The broadcast on via TV and radio. The original denouncement published by the station is published below…

The announcer is quoted: “We have not requested this [military] presence. They want to use this to pressure us and shut us up, but Radio Globo will be on the air, whatever it takes…”

HSN Note: Radio Globo was one of the few media outlets to refuse to sign the “Media Pact,” in which major media outlets essentially gave up their right to contradict government pronouncements on the election.

For Spanish speakers, take an opportunity to listen live: http://www.radioglobohonduras.com/

Radio Globo denuncia en este momento, al filo de las 6:20 am, que autoridades militares llegaron desde anoche al Cerro de Canta Gallo, donde se instalan los equipos de transmisión de señales de radio Globo y Canal 11, medios que no se sometieron a la mordaza mediática que el TSE pretende imponer en el país

Desde anoche los militares se han tomado las instalaciones donde se ubican las antenas de transmisión de Radio Globo, Globo TV y Canal 11. No podemos callar frente a este nuevo atropello de las Fuerzas Armadas de Honduras.

Un triste recordatorio de como el 28 de junio de 2009 los militares asaltaron las instalaciones, lanzaron ácido, rompieron cables y portones para dejar a Radio Globo fuera del aire.

Este es un nuevo atentado contra la libertad de expresión y una amenaza contra la vida. Se pidieron explicaciones a los voceros militares pero nadie se responsabilizó de semejante abuso.

Pedimos al Presidente que intervenga, llame al jefe de las FFAAH a que explique porqué la militarización de las antenas de radio y televisión ubicadas al oriente de la capital.

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[English translation of Radio Globo’s statement]

Radio Globo denounces, that at this time, approxmiately 6:20am, military authorities arrived, since last night, at the antennas of transmission for Radio Globo and Channel 11 , stations which did not submit to the gag order that the TSE (Honduran Supreme Electoral Tribunal) aims to impose on the country.

Since last night the military have occupied the facilities where the antennas are of transmission of Radio Globo, Globo TV and Channel 11. We can not remain silent against this new attack of the armed forces of Honduras.

A sad reminder of how on June 28, 2009 the military raided facilities, they threw acid, smashed cables and gates to take Radio Globo out of the air.

This is a new attack on freedom of expression and a threat to life. Requests for explanation were made to military spokesmen, but nobody has taken responsibility for the abuse.

We call on the President to intervene, call the head of the FFAAH to explain the radio and television antennas located to the East of the capital have been militarized.

Election Day has begun in Honduras! Poll workers are setting up the voting tables. Meanwhile the 166 election observers in the HSN/AGJ delegation have dispatched to their assigned polling stations.   Voting begins at 7 am! After all the campaigning, the preparations, the trainings, it all comes down to this.

Interview with Father Ismael “Melo” Moreno, Director of Radio Progreso and ERIC-SJ (the Jesuit Team for Reflection, Investigation, and Communication) in Honduras, on the eve of the historic Honduran Elections of 2013

SOAW: HSN elections Action Alert: Denounce Intimidation and Harassment of International Observers and LIBRE party members

In the last two days, HSN election observers have either experienced or confirmed the following:

• Over 30 Military Police wearing ski masks attempted to forcibly enter a LIBRE party office in Tegucigalpa.
• On multiple occasions, agents identifying themselves as workers of the Honduran Immigration Service, have harassed international election observers, tracked them down at their hotels or training centers to confirm that their documentation is in order. In some cases, this has occurred soon after these same observers have received official observer training from the Supreme Electoral Tribunal. In one instance, the “agents” were armed and wearing ski masks.

Please contact US and Honduran authorities to denounce these actions that continue to generate a climate of fear and intimidation before tomorrow’s vote.
Below you will find draft messages in English and Spanish to send:

To the US officials:
State Department, Director of Central America affairs-
Scott Hamilton: Hamiltonsi@state.gov

State Department, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor-
Charles O Blaha: Blahaco@state.gov

Honduras Embassy, Human Rights Attache-
Amanda Johnson-Miller: johnson-millera@state.gov

Dear Mr. Hamilton, Mr. O Blaha and Ms. Johnson-Miller:
I am writing to express concern about the attempt by over 30 members of the military police to forcibly enter into the LIBRE offices in the Kennedy Neighborhood of Tegucigalpa on the night of November 22nd.
I’m also writing to express concern about repeated instances of harassment of international election observers by persons identifying themselves as Honduran Government Immigration Service Agents on 22nd and 23rd.

• On November 22nd, four people identifying themselves as Honduran Immigration agents, arrived at the offices of ERIC-SJ (Equipo de Reflexión Investigación y Comunicación – Honduras) , asking to see members of the HSN/AGJ delegation of international observers in Honduras for national elections this Sunday.
• Later on November 22nd, the same group of agents disrupted an election observer training of the HSN/AGJ delegation at the La Fragua retreat center in Progreso, Honduras. Without prior warning, the officials intimidated observers by demanding to see everyone’s passports and observer credentials.
• Today, November 23rd, at Hotel Suites Aurora in Tegucigalpa, several persons some armed and dressed as civilians with ski masks and others wearing Immigration Authority t-shirts came to the hotel reception asking for passports for the people in the lobby, as well as asking for all International Observers to come to the lobby. They proceeded to ask the observers questions, look through their passports and, in some instances, took personal records.

I call on you as US State Department officials to express concern to the appropriate Honduran authorities. These actions do not contribute to the climate necessary for the Honduran people to express their right to vote without fear or intimidation. Please keep me posted of any actions you take and responses from your Honduran counterparts.

I will continue to follow the activities on the ground in Honduras closely.

Sincerely,

======

Please contact the following Honduran Authorities
Ministro de Seguridad, Arturo Corrales:
Email: oaseguridad@hotmail.com
Phone: 011-504.2220.5547

Ministra de Justicia y Derechos Humanos, Ana Pineda:
Email: apineda@sjdh.gob.hn
Phone: 011-(504) 9982-6801

Estimada Sra. Pineda y Estimado Sr. Corrales :

Les escribo para expresar mi preocupación por el intento de mas de 30 miembros de la policía militar de entrar forzosamente en la sede del partido LIBRE en la Colonia Kennedy de Tegucigalpa en la noche del 22 de Noviembre.

Tambien, les escribo para expresar mi preocupación por varios incidentes los días 22 y 23 de Noviembre de hostigamiento de observadores internacionales por personas identificándose como agentes del servicio de migración del Gobierno de Honduras.

· El 22 de noviembre alrededor de las 7:00 de la noche, cuatro agentes de la Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería del departamento de Yoro, ingresaron a uno de los salones del Centro de Capacitación La Fragua que forma parte de las instalaciones del Equipo de Reflexión Investigación y Comunicación (ERIC) de la Compañía de Jesús ubicado en la ciudad de El Progreso, Yoro. Los agentes irrumpieron en el local y procedieron a requerir las acreditaciones que les otorgó el Tribunal Supremo Electoral (TSE) a unas cien personas.

· Hoy, 23 de Noviembre, en el Hotel Suites Aurora de Tegucigalpa, 6 personas vestidos de civiles, armadas y con pasamontañas, junto con 3 personas con camisetas de la Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería, llegaron a la recepción del hotel, pidiendo que tod@s los observadores internacionales se presentaran para revisar su documentación y hacerles preguntas.

Obviamente, estas acciones no están consistentes con el compromiso de su gobierno de conducir el proceso electoral en un ambiente libre de intimidación y miedo. Espero que ustedes actúen para parar este tipo de actividad inmediatamente. Seguimos pendiente de la situación en Honduras.

Atentamente,

Telesur report:

Armed Men Intimidate Electoral Companions Honduras

Original article (spanish)

Translation by La Voz de los de Abajo

This Saturday morning, six armed men entered a hotel in Tegucigalpa and intimidated international electoral accompaniers from El Salvador. Despite this incident , the accompaniers stated that they will continue to monitor the elections, with the goal that Hondurans can freely exercise their right to vote.

On Saturday, a group of six armed men stormed the Aurora Hotel in Tegucigalpa ( capital of Honduras ),  in an attempt to frighten international observers that will be present this Sunday during the Honduran general elections.

The TeleSur special correspondent in Honduras, Madeleine García , reported via the social network Twitter that the incident occurred at 10H30 local time on Saturday, when ” six armed men entered the Aurora Hotel, which is near the presidential palace in Tegucigalpa, the Capital ” .

“In the lobby of the hotel were mayors and deputies, who form part of the delegation of 40 international observers from El Salvador ,” said Garcia in hes account @ madeleintlSUR .

The journalist quoted  Deputy Nidia Diaz, who was with the group and explained that ” When 6 armed men entered, 3 other men arrived wearing Immigration shirts”. “I approached the men from Immigration and told them that we had entered Honduras legally yesterday and with credentials ,” said the deputy.

Diaz, cited by Garcia, described the event as “an act of intimidation that cannot occur within a process of free and transparent elections.”

” What happened today is a violation of the law, because as election accompaniers, we have legal rights,” said Diaz.

In addition, she said that ” the men were at the hotel for 45 minutes and left when more people came to support us.”

Despite the incident , Diaz said ” We are going to continue in Honduras,  standing by the people in this process to exercise their rights ” .

The Supreme Electoral Tribunal ( TSE)  signed an agreement with major media outlets on Wednesday, in which the press has agreed not to broadcast polling results of surveys or exit polls before Sunday 19H00 local time ( 01H00 GMT Monday) .

The TSE estimates that more than three million people go to the polls, but actual registered voters equal more than five million persons older than 18.

Today around 10:30-11am in Hotel Suites Aurora in Tegucigalpa 5 men and 1 woman armed civilians dressed men with ski masks offered no identification, another 3 were wearing Immigration t-shirts, who went to reception.

They asked for passports for the people in the lobby who were here, as well as asked for all International Observers to come to the lobby, asked them questions and looked through their passports and took personal records. They took 2 passports from Brazilian international observers without explaining why. When they asked why, they say “because yes we can”.

They explained they were tourists and still they took passports without credible cause.

The Brazilians felt threatened “with fear, they can do whatever they want” they did not go up to the rooms but according to all present they were told that “they could go up to their rooms anytime”. Everyone felt a state of fear and intimidation, and very shaken up.

Later, the two Passports were given to me by an immigration officer, without even asking to return to the right person, whom they took them from.

This is an international outrage that this is happening during this election process and we are concern for what this may foretell for the transparency process tomorrow during elections.

One observer said that when she asked a soldier who he was, he said he could not identify himself, that he was under the command of Manuel Escobar Mejia.

We are extremely concerned for the safety of the International Observers and anyone here to witness the process of the elections.

Please stay tuned to what is going in Honduras and please be aware of the intimidation to International Observers.

Live updates Facebook and Twitter

Video report (in spanish) by Radio Progreso of the Press Conference of International Observer Delgations from the Honduras Solidarity Network and the Observator of Human Rights Monitoring and Resistance of Women in San Pedro Sula, Honduras on the 22nd of November, 2013

More reports on Radio Progreso’s Youtube Channel

Article in spanish detailing the raid on the LIBRE party headquarters in the Kennedy neighborhood of Tegucigalpa

Defensores en Linea