honduras crime and safety report 2022

Bogran was arrested in October 2020 on two corruption charges for embezzling an estimated 1.14 billion lempiras ($47 million) in public funds and funneling a contract for mobile hospitals to his uncle, Napoleon Corrales. The government places specially trained police forces in areas tourists frequent (e.g. Vasquez was the leader of the Union of Field Workers, a member of the Lenca community, an environmental activist, and a LIBRE Party candidate for Congress. Assassinations and violence continue under military supervision. CONADEH received complaints involving human rights abuses and referred them to the Public Ministry for investigation. Posted at 09:48h in michael deluise matt leblanc by The number of inspections increased significantly as the STSS resumed normal inspections, suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The law establishes prison sentences of up to two and one-half years for child abuse. The CA-4 agreement among El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras allows for the inspection-free movement of citizens among these countries, reducing overall inspection at land crossings. Counterfeit products are predominately but not solely in the pharmaceutical and apparel industries. Honduras decided in late 2018, based on reciprocity, to institute the same reporting requirement. Credible observers noted problems in trial procedures, such as a lack of admissible evidence, judicial corruption, witness intimidation, and an ineffective witness protection program. Air pollution can aggravate or lead to respiratory problems during the dry season due to widespread forest fires and agricultural burning. These tensions have resulted in intense protests and violence. While all formal workers are entitled to social security, there were reports that both public- and private-sector employers failed to pay into the social security system. Pandy was a human rights and land rights activist. Received a complaint about honduras crime and safety report 2021 at Pioneer Park with murder November 2017 shorter! LGBTI+ travelers should exercise caution, especially when expressing affection in public. Independent Monitoring: The government generally permitted prison visits by independent local and international human rights observers, including the International Committee of the Red Cross. ; these are generally safer areas in which to reside because of their heightened security measures. Since 2010, there have been approximately 60 murders of U.S. citizens reported in Honduras. The IACHR received information on frequent threats of lawsuits and prosecutions, including for slander and libel, hindering human rights work in Honduras. OSAC encourages travelers to, to gain baseline knowledge of security conditions in Honduras. Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: unlawful or arbitrary killings, including extrajudicial killings; torture and cases of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by government agents ; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary arrest or detention; serious restrictions on free expression and media, including threats to media members by criminal elements and the existence of criminal libel laws; serious government corruption; lack of investigation of and accountability for gender-based violence; and crimes involving violence or threats of violence against indigenous and Afro-descendant communities, and against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex persons. Share this via LinkedIn The law prohibits all the worst forms of child labor. Review OSACs reports, The Overseas Travelers Guide to ATM Skimmers & Fraud, Best Practices for Maximizing Security on Public Wi-Fi, Traveling with Mobile Devices: Trends & Best Practices. The Jewish community numbered approximately 275 members. Diarrheal illness is very common even in large cities and luxury accommodations. Union leaders and labor activists in both the public and private sector face harassment, dismissal, and violence for their activities. The government investigated violence and threats of violence against union leaders. The U.S. Embassy strongly discourages intercity car and bus travel after dark. According to a November 2019 study entitled Plan for Sustainable Urban Mobility for the Central District and Comayaguela, 48% of passengers reported having been assaulted one time in the past 12 months while traveling on a Rapidito, 31% twice, 11% three times, and 10% more than three times. World Bank statistics from 2020 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. for original OSAC reporting, consular messages, and contact information, some of which may be available only to private-sector representatives with an OSAC password. The homicide rate in Honduras was 42 per 100,000 people in 2019, making it one of the most violent countries in the world. Review OSACs reports, The Overseas Travelers Guide to ATM Skimmers & Fraud and Taking Credit. Although reports of kidnappings have dropped considerably in recent years, they continue to affect both the local and expatriate communities, with victims sometimes paying large ransoms for the prospect of release. The designation requires banks to impose a higher level of scrutiny on politically exposed persons financial transactions. It prohibits employer retribution against employees for engaging in trade union activities. Gangs exercise territorial control over some neighborhoods and extort residents throughout the country. The law requires an employer to begin collective bargaining once workers establish a union, and it specifies that if more than one union exists at a company, the employer must negotiate with the largest. 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. Unions also raised concerns regarding the use of temporary contracts and part-time employment, suggesting that employers used these mechanisms to prevent unionization and avoid providing full benefits. U.S. Department of State. The 2022 Annual Report briefly summarizes RPD's experience in public safety throughout the year with notable activity from the Department's four divisions: Patrol, Investigations, Services and Community Services. Honduras has the highest rate of femicidedefined as the killing of a woman by a man because of her genderin Latin America, the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean reports. Prison conditions were harsh and at times life threatening due to pervasive gang-related violence and the governments failure to control criminal activity within the prisons. Her retrial was scheduled for February 2022. Travelers are responsible for ensuring that they have adequate health coverage while in Honduras. The law does not authorize pretrial detention for crimes with a maximum sentence of five years or less. Administrative penalties were insufficient to deter violations and were rarely enforced. Meanwhile, 59% reported having been assaulted at least once while a passenger in a taxi (. ) Persons from indigenous and Afro-descendant communities continued to experience discrimination in employment, education, housing, and health services. The public transportation sector is a regular target of extortion, and experiences higher levels of homicide than many other sectors. Honduras' national police force is overseen by the Secretary of Security, which had 18,770 agents in 2020 and ambitious plans to reach 26000 by 2022. The government has a police investigative unit dedicated to investigating violent crimes against the LGBTI+ and other vulnerable communities, composed of Public Ministry prosecutors, members of ATIC (prosecutors investigative agency), and the Honduran National Police; however, it has limited resources and functions primarily in the major urban areas. Many of these U.S. citizens are church and humanitarian aid volunteers working throughout the country, including in gang-controlled neighborhoods. Human Rights Watch defends the rights of people in close to 100 countries worldwide, spotlighting abuses and bringing perpetrators to justice, Human Rights Watch is a 501(C)(3)nonprofit registered in the US under EIN: 13-2875808, Internal Displacement, Migration, and Asylum. The government tasks CONAPREV with visiting prisons and making recommendations for protecting the rights of prisoners. The Supreme Court, particularly its president, exerts excessive control over the appointment and removal of judges, and career instability limits judges independence. The limited capacity of the government to enforce international standards related to natural resource exploitation has resulted in higher levels of conflict in the extractive and electrical generation industries. Forced labor occurred in street vending, domestic service, the transport of drugs and other illicit goods, other criminal activity, and the informal sector. Deportation, Circular Migration and Organized Crime Honduras Case Study; Download the Publication; Honduras: Information Gathering Mission Report; Violence in Honduras: an Analysis of the Failure in Public Security and the State'S Response to Criminality; Opendocpdf.Pdf; Honduras Elites and Organized Crime; Honduras 2019 Crime & Safety Report Many of these U.S. citizens are church and humanitarian aid volunteers working throughout the country, including in gang-controlled neighborhoods. The government did not effectively enforce these laws and regulations, although penalties were commensurate with laws related to civil rights, such as election interference. The accused has the right to an initial hearing before a judge, to ask for bail, consult with legal counsel in a timely manner, have a lawyer provided by the state if necessary, and request an appeal. Port agencies have worked to improve taxi service to/from ports. Discrimination occurs against ethnic minorities and the LGBTI+ community. Review OSACs report, Armed robberies, burglaries, vandalization, home invasions, and extortions occur; closely guarded officials, businesspersons, and diplomats are not immune. The U.S. Embassy has restricted U.S. government personnel travel to the Gracias a Dios Department in eastern Honduras because of credible threat information against U.S citizens. While there are no areas in major urban cities free of violent crime, notably dangerous locations in Tegucigalpa include the areas surrounding Suyapa Cathedral, downtown Comayagela, downtown Tegucigalpa, and neighborhoods in the outskirts of the city that are generally controlled by gangs. The quasi-governmental National Committee for the Prevention of Torture, Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment (CONAPREV) received 18 complaints of the use of torture or cruel and inhuman treatment through August. Openness To, and Restrictions Upon, Foreign Investment Policies Towards Foreign Direct Investment Limits on Foreign Control and Right to Private Ownership and Establishment Other Investment Policy Reviews Business Facilitation Outward Investment 2. Under the Comprehensive Regional Protection and Solutions Framework, with significant support from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the government continued to build capacity to provide services to vulnerable populations, including IDPs, those at risk of forced displacement, refugees, and returned migrants. Cable signal theft and counterfeit products are the most prevalent violations of intellectual property rights in Honduras. The country was a destination for child sex tourism, particularly in the tourist area of the Bay Islands. Although reports of kidnappings have dropped considerably in recent years, they continue to affect both the local and expatriate communities, with victims sometimes paying large ransoms for the prospect of release. The governments National Policy to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination seeks to promote equality and combat discrimination related to the countrys seven indigenous and two Afro-descendent groups, with a focus on social and political participation; access to education, health care, justice, and employment opportunities; and rights to ancestral lands and natural resources. In February, the US announced suspension and planned termination of the asylum cooperative agreement signed with Honduras in 2019, whereby Honduras had agreed to receive non-Honduran asylum-seekers transferred from the US. Prosecutors and whistleblowers have received death threats. The Public Ministry received one report of discrimination based on an individuals disability as of September. There have been multiple incidents of gang members destroying city buses and taxis, and reports that gang members rob, assault, rape, kidnap, or murder passengers. Embassy employees and others have experienced skimming at well-known restaurants, hotels, and retailers. With Autocrats on the Defensive, Can Democrats Rise to the Occasion. There is often a spike in skimming in December and June, when the working population receive Christmas and mid-year bonuses in the form of one extra months salary. Its operations to receive and process cases were reliant on substantial support from UNHCR. Review the State Departments webpage on security for, Honduran law requires access to buildings for persons with disabilities; however, there are limited facilities for individuals with disabilities. Share this via WhatsApp Civil society continued to raise problems with minimum wage violations, highlighting agricultural companies in the south as frequent violators. The Ministries of Security and of Defense both have human rights offices that coordinate human rights-related activities with the Secretariat of Human Rights. (white sedan taxis with a sticker on the windshield denoting its established route), (private white sedan taxis with no established routes), and, (small buses that pick up multiple riders). According to government estimates, children with disabilities attended school at a lower rate than the general population. Review OSACs reports, Cybersecurity Basics, Best Practices for Maximizing Security on Public Wi-Fi, Traveling with Mobile Devices: Trends & Best Practices, and Satellite Phones: Critical or Contraband? Honduras is a signatory to the International Labor Organizations 169 Convention, which requires free prior notice and informed consent from indigenous communities before any development projects can begin; the congress has not approved a law regulating this process. As of September the STSS had an insufficient number of inspectors to enforce the law effectively. These workshops are part of a multiphase effort to promote transparency, cooperation,. In September police arrested Denis Abel Ordonez, Michael Andre Mejia, and Walter Antonio Matute Raudales in connection with her murder. Your session will expire soon and log you out. The incident allegedly occurred in a place of employment. The STSS is responsible for enforcing the national minimum wage, hours of work, and occupational health and safety law, but it did so inconsistently and ineffectively. In April 2019, one or more individuals attempted a surreptitious breach of perimeter fencing at a U.S. Embassy residence. the Copan Mayan ruins and Roatn). By law women have equal access to educational opportunities. In 2019, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders called Honduras one of the most dangerous countries for them in Latin America. No cases were reported during the year. Rape and Domestic Violence: The law criminalizes all forms of rape of women or men, including spousal rape. The government investigated and prosecuted some of these crimes, but impunity was widespread. Officers filed a report for theft and criminal damage to property at 1:30 p.m. Sunday in the 700 block of Denison Avenue in Manhattan. Download Historical Data Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom from: a. Nevertheless, social discrimination against LGBTQI+ persons persisted, as did physical violence. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights reported that authorities at times failed to enforce these requirements effectively. On July 5, the National Tribunal Court found Roberto David Castillo Mejia guilty for his role as one of the alleged intellectual authors of her murder. Natural Disasters Risk: Medium. The law prohibits night work and overtime for minors younger than 18, but the STSS may grant special permission for minors between the ages of 16 to 18 to work in the evening if such employment does not adversely affect their education. International non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and USAID implementing partners have reported threats and violence when visiting some rural communities. However, there can be communal tension over land ownership, natural resource allocation, and exploitation. Gang violence is widespread in and around urban areas. If a victims physical injuries do not reach the severity required to categorize the violence as a criminal act, the legal penalty for a first offense is a sentence of one to three months of community service. There were no credible reports of disappearances by or on behalf of government authorities. Judges face interferenceincluding political pressure, threats, and harassmentfrom the executive branch, private actors with connections to government, and gangs. Reach the local police anywhere in Honduras by dialing 911. Authorities often did not effectively enforce the law. Administration: The judicial system is legally responsible for monitoring prison conditions and providing for the rights of prisoners. The Public Ministrys Office of the Special Prosecutor for Human Rights handled cases involving charges of human rights abuses by government officials. The national curfew instituted in response to COVID-19, however, limited the freedom of internal movement and affected the freedom to leave the country, including for individuals at risk of or subject to persecution or torture. The Honduran National Polices Special Victims Investigations Unit, formerly known as the Violent Crimes Task Force, investigated crimes against high-profile and particularly vulnerable victims, including journalists as well as judges, lawyers, and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) community. The security situation is expected to continue to deteriorate in 2020 and 2021. Vote View Results . Honduras lacks a comprehensive legislative framework that includes women with disabilities and policies to combat domestic violence. The law prohibits members of the armed forces and police, as well as certain other public employees, from forming labor unions. honduras crime and safety report 2021. While the risk from crime in Honduras remains a concern, most U.S. citizens visiting or residing in Honduras are unaffected by violence and visit for tourism or humanitarian aid work without incident. Gracias a Diosis a remote location where narcotics trafficking is frequent, infrastructure is weak, government services are limited, and police/military presence is scarce. Civil society groups reported that women often did not report domestic violence or withdrew charges because they feared, or were economically dependent on, the aggressor. The National Human Rights Commission (CONADEH) reported 15 arbitrary or unlawful killings by security forces as of August. The law also sanctions abortion providers. Violence linked to land disputes also occurs, particularly in the Bay Islands and Bajo Aguan Valley in northern Honduras. Detained U.S. citizens should insist on speaking to U.S. Embassy representatives as soon as possible. In these sectors employers frequently paid workers for the standard 44-hour workweek irrespective of any additional hours they worked. In July, the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) and the IACHR urged the government to refrain from charging Garifuna women with damage, threats, theft, and usurpation of lands. According to the Honduran National Police, there were 12 kidnappings reported nationwide during 2019. There were different methodologies to measure the size of the informal economy, and a March 2020 UNDP report estimated that 82 percent of workers were part of the informal economy. The Honduran National Police maintain internal security and report to the Secretariat of Security. 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. It also provides for paid national holidays and annual leave. The law permits defendants to confront witnesses against them and offer witnesses and evidence in their defense. Transgender persons are prohibited from changing their legal gender status. Civil unrest in Tegucigalpa and other parts of Honduras remains a constant challenge. Review the State Departments webpage on security for. The reported killings took place during law enforcement operations or were linked to criminal activity by government agents. Health-care workers protested the lack of adequate protective equipment and delayed salary payments during the COVID-19 pandemic. The government has also begun implementing a series of police reforms; it has formed groups such as the National Inter-Agency Security Task Force (FUSINA) and the National Anti-Gang Task Force (FNAMP) to combat crime. The U.S. Department of State has assessed Tegucigalpa as being a LOW-threat location for terrorism directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. On April 27, the Public Ministry filed an indictment against police officer Jarol Rolando Perdomo Sarmiento for the February 6 murder of Keyla Martinez in La Esperanza, Intibuca Department. Low salaries and a lack of internal controls rendered judicial officials susceptible to bribery. For more in-depth information, review OSACs. Discrimination: Although the law accords women and men the same legal rights and status, including property rights in divorce cases, many women did not fully enjoy such rights due to barriers in access to justice and lack of information regarding legal protections. Download the State Departments Crime Victims Assistance brochure. Air pollution can aggravate or lead to respiratory problems during the dry season due to widespread forest fires and agricultural burning. The National Interinstitutional Security Force coordinates the overlapping responsibilities of the national police, military police of public order, National Intelligence Directorate, and Public Ministry during interagency operations. Additionally, illegal drugs are for sale in many of the popular tourist areas during the evening hours. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Center estimated there were approximately 247,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) due to violence in the country as of 2020. Nongovernmental Impact: Some journalists and other members of civil society reported threats from members of organized criminal groups. Indigenous and ethnic minority communities are frequently located in rural areas, which enjoy lower levels of criminal activity. A bill was introduced in 2019 to prevent, assist, and protect people internally displaced by violence. They had limited representation in the national government and consequently little direct input into decisions affecting their lands, cultures, traditions, and the allocation of natural resources. While many protests remain relatively peaceful, demonstrations can escalate into violent confrontations with the police resulting in destruction to public and private property. Officers filed a report for theft at 8:15 a.m. Tuesday in the 900 block of Kearney Street in Manhattan. In addition, Honduras is situated in an active seismic zone, so tremors are to be expected. Penalties for violations of occupational safety and health law were commensurate with penalties for similar crimes. Would you like to continue with this session or log out? In most prisons only inmates who purchased bottled water or had water filters in their cells had access to potable water. He was arrested again in April for separate but related charges. Review OSACs reports, There are an estimated 7,000-10,000 gang members in a country with an approximate population of ten million people. Many employers discriminated against women. A 59-year-old man was listed as the victim when it was . Libel/Slander Laws: Citizens, including public officials, may initiate criminal proceedings for libel and slander. Publishing or Discrimination occurs against ethnic minorities and the LGBTI+ community. Of those, 37,114 were deported from Mexico and 4,689 from the US. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings, c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees, f. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence, a. Honduras is a signatory to the International Labor Organizations. The government took some steps to address corruption at high levels in government agencies, including arresting and charging senior officials on COVID-related procurement corruption. The government launched a new Ministry of Transparency in November 2020 to address some of these concerns. open sources and (U) embassy reporting. Find contact information for available medical services and available air ambulance services on the U.S. Embassy/Consulate website. In addition the center estimated approximately 937,000 individuals were forcibly displaced by natural disasters during 2020. Spurred by anger with the government over accusations of public corruption, allegations of involvement in narcotics trafficking, and efforts to pass controversial education reform, protests and demonstrations were near-daily occurrences at times during 2019. The accused were in pretrial detention awaiting the next phase of the judicial process. 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. Women, children, and LGBTQI+ migrants and asylum seekers with pending cases were especially vulnerable to abuse. In September, President Hernndez accused those who advocate for same-sex marriage of attacking Christian principles and the notion of the family.. Credit card skimming is common. Passengers on public buses have been the victims of robbery at roadblocks and bus stops, during daytime and nighttime hours. In July, the US released the Engel List, listing individuals from Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala allegedly associated with corruption and undemocratic acts. This is an annual report produced in conjunction with the Regional Security Office at the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa. OSAC encourages travelers to use this report to gain baseline knowledge of security conditions in Honduras. Supporters of Honduran environmental and Indigenous rights activist, Berta Cceres, hold signs with her name and likeness during the trial of Roberto David Castillo, who was charged with her murder, outside of the Supreme Court building in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on April 6, 2021. honduras crime and safety report 2021. HMCs lab was reviewed by the Regional Medical Laboratory Scientist and found to be up to U.S. standards and quality assurance practices. The government lacks resources to investigate and prosecute cases; police often lack vehicles/fuel to respond to calls for assistance. The Honduras Medical Center (HMC) is the primary private hospital that the Embassy uses for emergency response and when hospitalization is required. However, many petitions for pandemic release have been rejected. Civil unrest in Tegucigalpa and other parts of Honduras remains a constant challenge. Cruise ship industry contacts report that approximately one million U.S. citizens enter the country by ship every year, primarily in Roatn, but also in La Ceiba on the northern coast.

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