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Alert

Journalist dismissed for opposing coup; Radio Globo journalist prevented from entering the Presidential Palace

(C-Libe/IFEX) - Journalist Allan Adális Martínez announced that he has been left without work since 15 July 2009 for characterising the administration of Roberto Micheletti as "golpista" (coming into power as the result of a coup d'état) in his "Libre Expresión" radio programme broadcast by the Alegre radio station in Tocoa, Colón.

Martínez, who has been working for the Alegre radio station for 13 years, said that those in power pressured the station to stop him from talking about the coup.

"The owner of the station told me that several advertisers would withdraw their advertisements from the radio station because of the criticisms of the coup government and the lack of coverage for the other side. However, coverage was given to both positions," Martínez said. He went on to add that the owner of the station, Carlos Hernández, dismissed him saying that he would not be allowed to continue broadcasting the programme and that, if he did want to continue, he would only be allowed to do so with a "muzzle." "Rather than be censored, I decided to resign," the journalist said.

The station owner, Hernández, told C-Libre that Martínez was dismissed for failing to follow orders regarding the announcement of a peace march planned for 18 July in Tocoa.

In a separate incident, on 13 July, Liliet Díaz, a journalist for Radio Globo, said she was barred from entering the presidential palace.

"All of our colleagues from other media outlets were called to Roberto Micheletti's office - media outlets that support him that is, those that regard him as the president. However, they did not let us in," Díaz said. She added that, when she tried to enter Micheletti's office, a guard asked her which media outlet she was from. When she responded that she works for Radio Globo, he told her she could not enter, that all the media outlets that could enter had already done so. Díaz noted that her radio station had been accredited to carry out work at the presidential palace for almost a year and that it should receive the same treatment as other media outlets.

Radio Globo was among the broadcasters that were taken off the on 28 June, the day of the coup, for broadcasting news about deposed President Manuel Zelaya Rosales.