Honduras to restore civil rights within 24 hours

An emergency decree that prohibited large street protests and limited other civil liberties following the return of ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya will be repealed within 24 hours, the country's interim leader said on Monday.

An emergency decree that prohibited large street protests and limited other civil liberties following the return of ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya will be repealed within 24 hours, the country's interim leader said on Monday.

HT Image

The decree, which resulted in dozens of arrests and the closing of two pro-Zelaya media outlets, is no longer necessary because "we have peace in the country," interim President Roberto Micheletti told the privately owned Channel 5 television network.

"We want to go back to normalcy," Micheletti said.

The interim president said his ministers planned to repeal the 45-day order at a meeting later today and it would be lifted as of tomorrow, when their decision is published in the government's official gazette.

Honduras' interim leaders issued the decree Sept. 27 in response to "calls for insurrection" by Zelaya as the ousted president sought refuge in the Brazilian Embassy after sneaking back into the country. He remains holed up in the Embassy with dozens of supporters amid international diplomatic efforts to end the crisis.