Pressures Intensify on Honduran Independent Media Outlet Criterio.hn

November 10, 2025 – Honduras – 

An independent media outlet in Honduras, Criterio.hn, faces escalating threats, surveillance, and digital attacks as the political climate grows increasingly hostile toward journalists. According to reports compiled by the Red Centroamericana de Periodistas (RCP) and the rights-group Artículo 19, the outlet’s team has endured smear campaigns, hack attempts, and ongoing monitoring—tactics linked to efforts to suppress their reporting.

The documented harassment coincides with Honduras’ lead-up to national elections, a period when scrutiny of political figures, human-rights issues, and corruption often triggers backlash. Criterio.hn’s coverage of sensitive topics has made it a focal point of pressure campaigns, which rights groups describe as part of a broader pattern of intimidation targeting investigative and critical journalism across the country.

Journalists at the outlet report digital harassment such as repeated hacking attempts and online disinformation designed to undermine their credibility. They also cite instances of physical threats and surveillance that blur the line between state and non-state actors exerting pressure on the press. This environment, observers warn, significantly increases the risk of self-censorship—as media professionals weigh retaliation over reporting.

The situation underscores serious systemic concerns: Honduras has one of the highest rates of journalist killings in Latin America, and the mechanisms for protection and accountability remain weak. The RCP collective observes that aggressive state rhetoric and under-enforcement of protective laws encourage impunity and help set the stage for escalating attacks on free expression.

Civil society organisations are calling for urgent measures to safeguard press freedom. Recommended steps include transparent investigations into attacks on journalists, legal protections for media workers, and stronger digital-security support for outlets under threat. They argue that without decisive action, independent journalism in Honduras could retreat under the combined weight of digital harassment, surveillance, and electoral tension.

The ordeal of Criterio.hn serves as both a case study and a warning: when critical media become targets—especially during politically volatile periods—public access to impartial information and the broader democratic fabric are put at risk.

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Honduran outlet Criterio.hn faces threats amid rising hostility toward journalists