Honduras interim government repeals decree suspending constitutional rights News
Honduras interim government repeals decree suspending constitutional rights

[JURIST] The head of the Honduran interim government Roberto Micheletti on Monday convened his council of ministers to repeal [La Prensa report, in Spanish] the executive decree [text, in Spanish] issued last week that suspended several constitutional rights. The repeal was scheduled to become official when published on Tuesday in the official newspaper, but ousted president Manuel Zelaya [BBC profile; JURIST news archive] warned on Tuesday that this had not yet taken place [Telesur report, in Spanish]. Micheletti had said last week that he would lift the restrictions [JURIST report] by the end of last week. After the decree, two media outlets were closed by the Honduran government under allegations that they were violating the terms of the decree. Micheletti said that those media outlets would have to turn to the courts for relief. Also on Monday, the Honduran Court of First Instance of Judicial Review derogated [La Prensa report, in Spanish] the executive decree issued by Zelaya in March that led to his subsequent ouster in June. The decree had authorized a poll to ask voters if they would be receptive to a vote on establishing a new constitution. A delegation from the Organization of American States (OAS) is due to arrive [AP report] in Honduras on Wednesday to aid in the Guaymuras Dialogue [La Prensa report, in Spanish], the current negotiations between Micheletti and Zelaya.

Zelaya has taken refuge at the Brazilian Embassy [official website, in Spanish] since returning to Honduras last month, despite calls [JURIST report] from Micheletti to hand him over under an arrest warrant [text and materials, PPT, in Spanish] issued by the Honduran Supreme Court [official website, in Spanish] in June. Zelaya was ousted [JURIST report] on June 28 following a judicial order [press release, in Spanish] asserting that he had broken Honduran law by attempting to conduct a controversial referendum on constitutional reform [JURIST report] contrary to a Honduran Supreme Court ruling.