Anticorruption efforts remained an area of concern, as did the governments ability to protect justice sector officials, such as prosecutors and judges. In 2019, Honduras saw its first rise in murders in seven years, though all three countries recorded declines in 2020 due to pandemic-related restrictions. Abuse of Migrants, Refugees, and Stateless Persons: Transiting migrants and asylum seekers with pending cases were vulnerable to abuse by criminal organizations. The law applies equally to citizens and foreigners, regardless of gender, and prescribes a maximum eight-hour shift per day for most workers, a 44-hour workweek, and at least one 24-hour rest period for every six days of work. A federal grand jury on Friday indicted the man accused of shooting two Jewish men in February with hate crime and firearm offenses, the US Attorney's Office for the Central CRIME AND INSECURITY IN HONDURAS . The long-term history of gangs in Honduras can be traced all the way back to the fall of the Spanish Empire in the mid 1800s. Employers frequently penalized agricultural workers for taking legally authorized days off. In security and domestic service sectors, workers were frequently forced to work more than 60 hours per week but paid only for 44 hours. The whereabouts of four Indigenous Garifuna members of the Black Fraternal Organization of Honduras (OFRANEH) forcibly disappeared in July 2020 remained unknown. LGBTI rights groups asserted that government agencies and private employers engaged in discriminatory hiring practices. The National Migration Institute secretary general, responsible for final case determinations, had not resumed this function as of October. World Bank statistics put net enrollment for primary school above 90 percent, but the National Center for Social Sector Information stated that 43 percent of persons with disabilities received no formal education. The IACHR reported the government at times used a policy of arbitrary detentions or arrests to inhibit protest. While there were cases where a worker was reinstated, such as the reinstatement of a union leader in Tegucigalpa following his unlawful dismissal, the reinstatement process in the courts was unduly long, lasting from six months to more than five years. The law prohibits illicit association, defined as gatherings by persons bearing arms, explosive devices, or dangerous objects with the purpose of committing a crime, and prescribes prison terms of two to four years and a moderate fine for anyone who convokes or directs an illicit meeting or demonstration. The EU mission agreed there were serious irregularities in the process but concluded that safeguards built into the system, including posting of voting results forms on a public website, helped promote transparency. On January 9, 2018, the Honduran State confirmed the on-site visit to Honduras on the dates proposed by the IACHR. Underscoring heightened risks facing transgender women involved in sex work, the PBI cited three alleged incidents where security forces degraded transgender women for violating the nationwide COVID-19 curfew, including by striking at least one of the individuals. In response to the pervasive violence in the prison system, the government declared an emergency in the National Penitentiary System in December 2019. The government used pretrial detention centers to hold high-profile suspects and those in need of additional security. Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom from: a. The government cooperated with UNHCR and other humanitarian organizations that provide protection and assistance to refugees and other persons of concern. the 2017 Annual Report. Freedom of Speech: The law includes a provision to punish persons who directly or through public media incite discrimination, contempt, repression, or violence against a person, group, or organization for reasons of gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, political opinion or affiliation, marital status, race or national origin, language, nationality, religion, family affiliation, family or economic situation, disability, health, physical appearance, or any other characteristic that would offend the victims human dignity. Sexual Exploitation of Children: The commercial sexual exploitation of children, especially in sex trafficking, remained a problem. Public-sector unions expressed concern about some officials refusing to honor bargaining agreements and firing union leaders. Download Historical Data The Office of the Inspector General of the Armed Forces and the Humanitarian Law Directorate investigated and arrested members of the military accused of human rights abuses. In January 2020, the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Honduran government failed to reach an agreement to renew the mandate of the Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in . The National Interinstitutional Security Force is an interagency command that coordinates the overlapping responsibilities of the national police, military police of public order, National Intelligence Directorate, and Public Ministry during interagency operations. A Mosheim man involved in a police pursuit in 2021 resulting in a two-vehicle crash that killed a Greene County woman entered a guilty plea Tuesday to . The Honduran National Police maintain internal security and report to the Secretariat of Security. Violent organized crime continues to disrupt Honduran society and push many people to leave the country. Victims were primarily impoverished individuals in both rural and urban areas (see section 7.c.). They practice "war taxing", which is essentially just demanding money from people. Introductory offer for new subscribers only. International Child Abductions: The country is a party to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. Employers frequently refused to comply with STSS orders that required them to reinstate workers who had been dismissed for participating in union activities. The director of the national disaster management agency, Gabriel Rubi, was removed from his position in April. There is also a Human Rights Committee in the National Congress. The appeals court would have to rule on the motion before the trial could move forward. On January 10, unknown assailants shot and killed Tolupan indigenous leader Vicente Saavedra in Morazan, Yoro Department. Voters elected Juan Orlando Hernandez of the National Party as president for a four-year term beginning in January 2018. International observers generally recognized the elections as free but disputed the fairness and transparency of the results. This force is composed of active members of the army and national police. On February 4, media reported unknown assailants shot and killed three National Party local leaders in three separate incidents within five days in Tegucigalpa: Oscar Obdulio Licona Ruiz on January 31 and Dagoberto Villalta and Marcial Martinez on February 4. Overview: The IDF, under the Israeli Ministry of Defense, is responsible for the West Bank, but PA security forces were granted security control of 17.5 percent (called Area A) under the 1993 Oslo Accords. In cooperation with the UN Development Program, the government operated consolidated reporting centers in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula where women could report crimes, seek medical and psychological attention, and receive other services. The Supreme Court of Justice cited the presence of MACCIH personnel during Public Ministry investigations, including in the execution of search warrants in violation of the law. Some judges, however, ruled that such suspects may be released on the condition that they continue to report periodically to authorities. The PBI reported an incident on April 23 near Tela, Atlantida Department, involving the alleged use of live rounds by police in response to a protest, injuring two individuals. Corruption: On March 13, the Supreme Court of Justice ordered a new trial for former first lady Rosa Elena Bonilla de Lobo, spouse of former president Porfirio Lobo, who was convicted in August 2019 of fraud and misappropriation of public funds and sentenced to 58 years in prison. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. Journalists, environmental activists, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals, and people with disabilities are among the groups targeted for violence. honduras crime and safety report 2021mary calderon quintanilla 27 februari, 2023 / i list of funerals at luton crematorium / av / i list of funerals at luton crematorium / av More than half of the population lives in poverty and per capita income is one of the lowest in the region. October and February were the deadliest months, with 43 and 38 women murdered on account of their gender, respectively. Although 74 percent of births were attended by skilled health care personnel, NGOs reported that there were significant gaps in obstetric care, especially in rural areas. Japan also is a member of the G-7 Counterterrorism and Counter-Crime Rome-Lyon Group. The collapse of this empire left the territories of what we now understand to be Central America, to split off into separate regions. . There were credible complaints that police occasionally failed to obtain the required authorization before entering private homes. The constitution prohibits practicing clergy from running for office or participating in political campaigns. Persons suspected of any of 22 specific felonies must remain in custody, pending the conclusion of judicial proceedings against them. The law provides a maximum sentence of three years in prison for disobeying a restraining order connected with the crime of intrafamilial violence. Honduras recorded 3,496 murders in 2020. The STSS completed 13 inspections as of March and did not find any minors working without permission. The law establishes an independent and impartial judiciary in civil matters, including access to a court to seek damages for human rights violations. Nongovernmental Impact: Some journalists and other members of civil society reported threats from members of organized-crime groups. An independent press and a functioning democratic political system combined to promote freedom of expression, including for the press. Every 18 hours, a woman is a victim of a violent death. The government did not effectively enforce the law. Media reported prison riots and violent confrontations between gang members in prisons throughout the year. The law does not authorize pretrial detention for crimes with a maximum sentence of five years or less. Although the country experiences one of its lowest homicide rates in the last decade, authorities recorded 3,496 violent deaths in 2020. Poverty rates are higher among rural and indigenous people and in the south, west, and along the eastern border than in the north . Since 2020, the number of Hondurans in need of humanitarian assistance has more than doubled, while food insecurity has increased due to consecutive climate shocks, rising food prices and the economic impacts of COVID-19. By law women have equal access to educational opportunities. Campbell was an LGBTI activist and member of the Rainbow Dolls, an organization that fought violence and discrimination against members of the LGBTI community. If the STSS grants permission, children between 14 and 16 may work a maximum of four hours a day, and those between 16 and 18 may work up to six hours a day. On August 5, an appeals court dismissed charges against 22 defendants indicted in the so-called Pandora case, a 2013 scheme that allegedly funneled 289.4 million lempiras ($12 million) in government agricultural funds to political campaigns. During April, the first full month of the curfew, COFADEH reported 11,471 complaints of arbitrary actions by security forces, mainly abusive detentions for curfew violators. A small number of powerful business magnates with intersecting commercial, political, and family ties owned most of the major news media. By August it had provided protection to two journalists, among other types of activists and human rights defenders. The Guttmacher Institute reported 78 percent of women of reproductive age had their need for family planning satisfied with modern methods in 2019. Honduras is one of the murder capitals of the world. Feb 28, 2023. CONAPREV conducted more than 84 visits to adult prisons as of the end of August. El Salvador used to have a high crime rate, but that is not the case anymore. Prisoners suffered from overcrowding, insufficient access to food and water, violence, and alleged abuse by prison officials. By comparison, the United States has a global safety ranking of 128. The Autonomous University of Honduras Violence Observatory reported 13 arbitrary or unlawful killings by security forces during the year. The government has an Office for Persons with Disabilities located within the Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion, but its ability to provide services to persons with disabilities was limited. Organized-crime groups, including local and transnational gangs and narcotics traffickers, were significant perpetrators of violent crimes and committed acts of homicide, torture, kidnapping, extortion, human trafficking, intimidation, and other threats and violence directed against human rights defenders, judicial authorities, lawyers, business community members, journalists, bloggers, women, and other vulnerable populations. Children often worked alongside family members in agriculture and other work, such as fishing, construction, transportation, and small businesses. This report provides a snapshot of events during 2021 relevant to countries designated as State Sponsors of Terrorism. Honduras' highest judicial body is the Supreme Court of Justice, which includes chambers for constitutional, criminal and civil cases. Five other cases were under investigation. These INP-administered centers were on military installations and received some support services from the military. Some local and international civil society organizations, including students, agricultural workers groups, political parties, and indigenous rights groups, alleged that members of the security forces used excessive force to break up demonstrations. In addition, women experienced delays in accessing justice due to police who failed to process complaints in a timely manner or judicial system officials who deferred scheduling hearings. Many prisoners had access to weapons and other contraband, inmates attacked other inmates with impunity, and inmates and their associates outside prison threatened prison officials and their families. By law the STSS may fine companies that violate the right to freedom of association. Violence was often rooted in a broader context of conflict over land and natural resources, extensive corruption, lack of transparency and community consultation, other criminal activity, and limited state ability to protect the rights of vulnerable communities. The regional [] Reports of violence related to land conflicts and criminal activity continued.