The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has strongly condemned the murder of well-known TV journalist Anibal Barrow whose remains were found in northern Honduras this week. According to media reports, Honduran authorities on Wednesday, 10 July, confirmed that the remains discovered in a neighbourhood in the city of Villanueva are those of Anibal Barrow, a highly respected journalist in the country. Barrow, 58, a popular morning news anchor on Globo TV, one of Honduras's largest broadcasters, was abducted by armed men in San Pedro Sula on June 24.

"We express our shock and deep sadness at the loss of our highly respected colleague Anibal Barrow," said IFJ President Jim Boumelha. "His brutal murder is a reminder of the highly dangerous situation that journalists in Honduras face on a daily basis.

"We call on the Honduran authorities to ensure that those responsible for this horrific crime face the full weight of justice."

Media reports say that four people have been arrested in connection with the killing, and police are looking for further suspects.

The IFJ regional group in the region, La Federación de Periodistas de América Latina y el Caribe (Fepalc), also condemned the killing and urged Honduran authorities to do more about media safety.

"The killing of Anibal Barrow means that 28 journalists have now been murdered in Honduras since 2010," said IFJ Vice President, Celso Schröder. "This is a figure that simply cannot be tolerated. We call on the authorities in Honduras to step up their efforts to protect the safety of journalists there and put an end to impunity and violence against journalists in the country.

"Honduras is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists and we urge media staff working there to ensure they protect their own safety and remain vigilant." For more information, please contact IFJ on + 32 2 235 22 17
The IFJ represents more than 600.000 journalists in 134 countries