Tegucigalpa  - The de facto government of Honduras repealed Monday a controversial decree that had restricted freedom of movement and freedom of expression in the country in the wake of the arrival of ousted Pressident Manuel Zelaya.

Zelaya's supporters and the international community had criticized the decree as establishing a covert state of emergency in the troubled Central American country.

"The decree has been completely repealed," said Roberto Micheletti, who became de facto leader after Zelaya was ousted in a coup in June.

The government decree had been approved on September 26 and authorized police to dissolve non-authorized public meetings and demonstrations.

It also banned acts against "peace, public order and offensive to human dignity" and authorized the state telecommunications organ Conatel to suspend radio and television broadcasters.

The decree needed to be approved by Congress, since it curbed personal freedom. And even many of Micheletti's supporters in the legislature had refused to back it.

The independent Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) had also spoken out against the decree, arguing that it was counterproductive ahead of the scheduled November 29 presidential election.

Jose Miguel Insulza, secretary-general of the Organization of American States (OAS), had slammed the decree, saying that the measures constituted "a sort of state of emergency" and would give a free hand to "those who want to carry out more acts of repression."  dpa