An independent press and a functioning democratic political system combined to promote freedom of expression, including for the press. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights reported 1,695 cases of COVID-19 in 25 prisons as of September, including cases among medical personnel, security personnel, and administrators. A small number of powerful business magnates with intersecting commercial, political, and family ties owned most of the major news media. Office of the Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology, Office of the U.S. By law women have equal access to educational opportunities. More than half of the population lives in poverty and per capita income is one of the lowest in the region. Of course, while it's not ever good to generalize an. 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. The government did not restrict or disrupt access to the internet or censor online content, and there were no credible reports that the government monitored private online communications without appropriate legal authority. Female victims of domestic violence are entitled to certain protective measures, such as removal of the abuser from the home and prohibiting the abuser from visiting the victims work or other frequently visited places. The law provides for freedom of expression, including for the press, with some restrictions, and the government generally respected this right. Fines for child labor were not sufficient to deter violations and not commensurate with penalties for other analogous serious crimes, such as kidnapping. The combined homicide rate per 100 thousand population remains low, with steep declines in some countries and remaining stable in others. Libel/Slander Laws: Citizens, including public officials, may initiate criminal proceedings for libel and slander. No cases were reported during the year. About. Pretrial Detention: Judicial inefficiency, corruption, and insufficient resources delayed proceedings in the criminal justice system, and lengthy pretrial detention was a serious problem. On November 23, the court halted the presentation of evidence hearing after the defense filed an appeal. Bernardez was a leader in the Punta Piedra community. Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom from: a. The Public Ministry reported 15 cases of alleged illegal detention or arbitrary arrest as of November. In-country Movement: Under the national curfew from March 16, the government limited freedom of movement by allowing individuals to move outside their homes one day every two weeks. There were allegations that companies used collective pacts, which are collective contracts with nonunionized workers, to prevent unionization and collective bargaining because only one collective contract may exist in each workplace. On April 2, a private security guard for the sugar company La Grecia shot and killed land rights defender Iris Argentina Alvarez Chavez during a confrontation between land rights defenders and private guards. The National Migration Institute secretary general, responsible for final case determinations, had not resumed this function as of October. Most child labor occurred in rural areas. Impunity, however, remained a serious problem, with significant delays in some prosecutions and sources alleging corruption in judicial proceedings. It was unclear how many of these threats were related to the victims professions or activism. HND41066.E - Whether there is a law in Honduras that criminalizes the wearing of tattoos; reports of state agents arresting, detaining, mistreating or murdering people with tattoos that do not belong to gangs (2001 to March 2003) - March 2003 Non-Government Organization Reports Human Rights Watch The country last held national and local elections in November 2017. On June 19, Garifuna leader Antonio Bernardez was found dead from bullet wounds six days after his disappearance. U.S. Ranks Third Best in New Global Cybercrime Report Homicides in Honduras | Association for a More Just Society UNHCR Factsheet March 2022 - Honduras | ReliefWeb Health-care workers protested the lack of adequate protective equipment and delayed salary payments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reports of violence related to land conflicts and criminal activity continued. El Salvador used to have a high crime rate, but that is not the case anymore. The IACHR expressed concern in 2019 regarding the "critical levels of. The law prohibits the use of children younger than 18 for exhibitions or performances of a sexual nature or in the production of pornography. The law provides for an independent judiciary, but the justice system was poorly funded and staffed, inadequately equipped, often ineffective, and subject to intimidation, corruption, politicization, and patronage. The reports alleged illicit gains of more than 1.64 billion lempiras ($68 million) by government officials in the purchase of medical supplies. On September 16, the Public Ministry filed an indictment against army military police officer Josue Noe Alvarado Giron for the April 24 murder of Marvin Rolando Alvarado Santiago at a military roadblock in Omoa, Cortes. The law was not effectively enforced, and weak public institutional structures contributed to the inadequate enforcement. Freedom to Participate in the Political Process, Section 4. As of September no new trial date had been set. Dangers of Travel to Honduras | USA Today Authorities generally respected these rights. Prison conditions were harsh and sometimes life-threatening due to pervasive gang-related violence and the governments failure to control criminal activity within the prisons. A Texas man is speaking out about his experience following an attempted carjacking where two suspects, one of them armed, followed him home into his garage and tried to steal his car at gunpoint but ended up "bamboozled" and empty-handed. Now that we've established a frame of reference, here's the scoop on Roatan. Introductory offer for new subscribers only. Yes, despite all the historical crime and violence, which don't affect tourists, El Salvador is safe to visit in 2023. That is 2,607 fewer homicides. The bloodiest municipalities are located in Francisco Morazan, San Pedro Sula, Choloma, El Progreso, and La Ceiba. The Committee of Relatives of the Disappeared in Honduras (COFADEH) reported 28 cases of alleged torture by security forces through September, while the Public Ministry received three such reports. Respect for Civil Liberties, Including: a. By August it had provided protection to two journalists, among other types of activists and human rights defenders. The director of Invest-H, Marco Antonio Bogran Corrales, resigned from his position in July and was indicted in October on two corruption charges for embezzling an estimated 1.3 million lempiras ($54,000) in public funds and funneling a contract for mobile hospitals to his uncle. Employers frequently refused to comply with STSS orders that required them to reinstate workers who had been dismissed for participating in union activities. 14 Problems Hondurans Face Today - Forbes Arbitrary Arrest: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government instituted a national curfew, suspending constitutional provisions and limiting the free movement of individuals. Honduras Is the Most Violent Country in Central America There were no credible reports of political prisoners or detainees. According to the Center for the Investigation and Promotion of Human Rights, on March 24, police arbitrarily detained Evelyn Johana Castillo, sub-coordinator of the Womens Network of Ojojona and member of the National Network of Defenders of Human Rights. This is the second consecutive year that the murder rate falls below 40 per . It also provides for paid national holidays and annual leave. The Public Ministry reported five such cases undergoing trial, with four cases in the sentencing phase of trial. The government did not effectively enforce these laws and regulations, although penalties were commensurate with laws related to civil rights, such as election interference. Country Summary: Violent crime, such as homicide and armed robbery, is common. Ag Department sees need to support local food in Minnesota The law does not authorize pretrial detention for crimes with a maximum sentence of five years or less. 2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Honduras 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. Sexual Harassment: The law criminalizes various forms of sexual harassment. How Safe Is Honduras for Travel? - Travel Safe - Abroad 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. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot will lose reelection bid, CNN projects, as World Report 2022: Honduras | Human Rights Watch Women and girls may face criminal penalties after having miscarriages or abortions, and NGOs reported some women delayed or avoided seeking necessary medical care for fear of being arrested. The Federation of Agroindustry Workers Unions reported massive layoffs and cancelation of contracts in the maquila sector during the pandemic without providing welfare benefits. Israel, West Bank, and Gaza - United States Department of State On July 1, unknown assailants on a motorcycle shot and killed television journalist German Vallecillo and cameraman Jorge Posas in La Ceiba. 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. CHICAGO (AP) Four years ago, Paul Vallas finished toward the bottom of the pack in a crowded race for Chicago mayor. Honduras has the highest femicide rate in the Latin American region, with 6.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. They practice "war taxing", which is essentially just demanding money from people. Honduras was the fourth source country in the world of new asylum applications from January to June 2021 with 33,900 applications (30,100 in the same period in 2020), according to UNHCR s Mid . That puts Roatan/Honduras a few points ahead of the U.S. Iceland holds the number one rated position and Afghanistan holds last place, ranked at 163. The Secretariat of Human Rights served as an effective advocate for human rights within the government. The rate of young people killing other young people is down to two main gangs : Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18. Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) - United States Department of Discrimination, Societal Abuses, and Trafficking in Persons, Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, a. Participation of Women and Members of Minority Groups: No laws limit the participation of women or members of minority groups in the political process, and they did participate. The tribunal published its reports on its website and cited the names of public officials who did not comply with the disclosure law. The law allows only local unions to call strikes, prohibits labor federations and confederations from calling strikes, and requires that a two-thirds majority of both union and nonunion employees at an enterprise approve a strike. On July 18, heavily armed men kidnapped five men from their homes in the town of Triunfo de la Cruz. The national curfew instituted in response to COVID-19, however, severely limited the freedom of internal movement. Both the ministry and the commission focused on developing policies to address IDPs. There were no credible reports of disappearances by or on behalf of government authorities. osac crime and safety report honduras - bagtical.com On January 10, unknown assailants shot and killed Tolupan indigenous leader Vicente Saavedra in Morazan, Yoro Department. Invest-H, the agency in charge of purchasing medical supplies during the pandemic, purchased seven mobile hospitals for 1.13 billion lempiras ($47 million), more than 289.4 million lempiras ($12 million) above the manufacturers quoted price. DIDADPOL investigated abuses by police forces. Employers frequently penalized agricultural workers for taking legally authorized days off. The appeals court ruled the cases of former agriculture minister Jacobo Regalado and three members of his staff should proceed to trial. In terms of murder rate, it's the second most violent country in Central or South America, trailing only Venezuela. On November 15, 2017, the State of Honduras invited the IACHR to visit Honduras to analyze the human rights situation in the country. (SOUTH DAKOTA NEWS WATCH) - South Dakota received nearly $14 billion in federal COVID-19 funding from March 2020 through January, according to an internal state fiscal report . Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, 2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. The law provides for freedom of association, and the government generally respected this right. Peace Brigades International (PBI) reported more than 34,000 persons were detained for violating the curfew. 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. The victims were land-rights defenders from the Afro-descendant Garifuna minority group. Honduras With a crime index of 74.54, Honduras ranks fifth in the world in terms of crime rate. Every 18 hours, a woman is a victim of a violent death. The government failed to control pervasive gang-related violence and criminal activity within the prisons. See the Department of States Trafficking in Persons Report at https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/. Updated: 7 hours ago. In Honduras, the types of danger include, but are not limited to, violent gang activity, trafficking, rape, street crime and armed robbery. With offices throughout the country, the ombudsman received cases that otherwise might not have risen to national attention. There were credible complaints that police occasionally failed to obtain the required authorization before entering private homes. Corruption along with a lack of investigative resources and judicial delays led to widespread impunity, including in security forces. Defendants may receive free assistance from an interpreter. 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. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam . International observers generally agreed the elections were free but disputed the fairness and transparency of the results. The Jewish community numbered approximately 275 members. PDF Country Information Note Honduras: Background Note - GOV.UK The law provides for the right to a fair and public trial; however, the judiciary did not always enforce this right. 4 Defenders of the land, territory and environment continued to face unfounded criminal charges. The STSS has the power to declare a work stoppage illegal, and employers may discipline employees consistent with their internal regulations, including by firing strikers, if the STSS rules that a work stoppage is illegal. In January 2020, the president announced the dismantling of the Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (Misin de Apoyo Contra la Corrupcin y la Impunidad en Honduras, MACCIH), which was backed by the Organization of American States (OAS). Safety in El Salvador. Credible observers noted problems in trial procedures, such as a lack of admissible evidence, judicial corruption, widespread public distrust of the legal system, witness intimidation, and an ineffective witness protection program. The Autonomous University of Honduras Violence Observatory reported 13 arbitrary or unlawful killings by security forces during the year. Honduras - Organized Crime News - InSight Crime Contraception supplies continued to be limited by shortages and insufficient funding. The government continued to prosecute individuals allegedly involved in the 2016 killing of environmental and indigenous activist Berta Caceres. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras -- Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. Honduras 2020 OSAC Crime & Safety Report - DocsLib You should be aware that tourist hotspots, public transportation and some streets are places where most thefts and pickpocketing occur, and that violent crime exists on the streets, too. Feb 28, 2023. 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. Police later arrested the guard accused of killing Alvarez. osac mexico 2019 crime and safety report - goma.eco 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. The Violence Observatory reported 55 killings of women from March 15 to June 6, compared with 102 for the same period in 2019. Workers had difficulty exercising the rights to form and join unions and to engage in collective bargaining, and the government failed to enforce applicable laws effectively. Regulations for implementing the law remained under development as of September. Unrelated to the curfew, there were areas where authorities could not assure freedom of movement because of criminal activity and a lack of significant government presence.