Anibal Barrow, a Honduran journalist for TV Globo, was last seen on Monday, June 24, when three armed men stopped the vehicle he was riding in with family members. The assailants released his relatives, but commandeered the car and took Barrow with them.
That was the last that Barrow’s family saw of him. They reported the abduction to the authorities, but have not received any ransom demands. All they have heard is that the car was later found with bullet holes and traces of blood. There was no sign of Anibal Barrow, however.
The lack of ransom demands, as well the gunmen’s lack of interested in the other passengers, adds to fears that Barrow was attacked because of his journalistic activities. Amnesty International reports that Barrow had recently interviewed three candidates in the nation’s upcoming elections, including a union leader, about the 4th anniversary of the 2009 coup. CNBC has reported that Anibal Barrow’s son is also running in the elections.
Unfortunately, attacks on journalists are not unusual in Honduras. Since January 2010, approximately 28 journalists have been killed in the country.
Please take action! Amnesty joins with journalist organizations such as the International Press Institute (IPI)Â and the InterAmerican Press Association (IAPA)Â in demanding that the Honduran government take immediate action to find Barrow and the men who abducted him.
If Barrow is alive, swift action may still save his life. If he is dead, however, the authorities must locate his body and carry out a full investigation to bring those responsible for this crime to justice. This must include not only the gunmen, but also anyone who may organized the attack.