Honduras’ National Commission for Human Rights reports that 23 journalists have been murdered in the country since 2007; 16 of these since the 2009 coup that ousted President Manuel Zelaya.
Human Rights Commissioner Ramon Custodio said that only three of these cases had been resolved by police.
The most recent victim, Medardo Flores, was a journalist with Radio Uno in the Caribbean coastal city of Puerto Cortes and was active in a pro-Zelaya movement. He was ambushed and shot dead while driving his car in early September.
Honduran security officials have suggested that the deaths of 23 journalists should be blamed on common crime or personal disputes, but many of the victims have been linked to Zelayista groups, according to AFP news agency.
The country is currently one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist, according to the commission. The current president, Porfirio Lobo, has requested investigative support from the FBI and Spanish authorities.
Honduras' murder rate is on track to reach 86 per 100,000 by the end of 2011.
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