Review the State Departments webpage on security for travelers with disabilities. The government generally respected these provisions. 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. Institutions such as the National Womens Institute attempted to enhance the governments response to domestic violence by opening three additional womens centers in the country. 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. The Secretariat of Human Rights stated it was taking every precaution to protect prisoners rights and assure that the work provided opportunities for prisoners to develop skills they could use in legal economic activities after their release. 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. The law prohibits all the worst forms of child labor. Despite being considered the best private hospital in Tegucigalpa, it is not Joint Commission International (JCI) accredited; JCI is an independent, not-for-profit organization that evaluates and accredits healthcare organizations. There were no credible reports of disappearances by or on behalf of government authorities. Those planning travel to Gracias a Dios should consider postponing their travel. Some nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) expressed concern regarding weak implementation of the law and limited resources available to operate the governments protection mechanism. Organized criminal 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. Some NGOs reported irregularities, including late delivery of technology needed to transmit results, late opening of the polls, poll workers with varying degrees of preparation and knowledge of the electoral law and processes, and lack of transparency in campaign financing. On April 23, the Public Ministry arrested and charged Josue Exequiel Martinez Martinez, Siriaco Mejia Santos, Francisco Lopez Lazo, and Mario Anibal Lopez Velasquez for the December 2020 murder of Felix Vasquez. Emergency services, even in Tegucigalpa, generally are basic. The Honduran National Police maintain internal security and report to the Secretariat of Security. Home. The Supreme Court, particularly its president, exerts excessive control over the appointment and removal of judges, and career instability limits judges independence. Pandy was a human rights and land rights activist. nonpublic school not seeking state approval louisiana. Honduras lacks a comprehensive legislative framework that includes women with disabilities and policies to combat domestic violence. Although its specialists occasionally cannot provide the U.S. standard of care, the hospital and diagnostic departments do have the capability to provide most medical procedures. Individuals and organizations may appeal adverse domestic decisions to the Inter-American Human Rights System. Violent transnational criminal organizations are also involved in narcotics trafficking and other illicit commerce. Cable signal theft and counterfeit products are the most prevalent violations of intellectual property rights in Honduras. The government considers rape a crime of public concern, and the state prosecutes rapists even if victims do not press charges. As of September the Secretariat of Human Rights reported the countrys pretrial detention center held 33 individuals. . LGBTQI+ rights groups asserted that government agencies and private employers engaged in discriminatory hiring practices. The legal age of consent is 18. Drug trafficking and gang activity, which includes local micro-trafficking of narcotics and extortion, are the main causes of violent crime in Honduras. Violent organized crime continues to disrupt Honduran society and push many people to leave the country. The law regulates child labor, sets the minimum age for employment at age 14, and regulates the hours and types of work that minors younger than 18 may perform. Its operations to receive and process cases were reliant on substantial support from UNHCR. 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. Union leaders and labor activists in both the public and private sector face harassment, dismissal, and violence for their activities. Despite incremental progress, government capacities remained relatively nascent and limited. Those traveling with tour/missionary groups report fewer criminal incidents. INCIDENTS. Do not travel to Gracias a Dios Department due to crime. The lack of space for social distancing combined with the lack of adequate sanitation made prison conditions even more life threatening during the COVID-19 pandemic. To reduce overcrowding in response to the pandemic, the legislature approved alternatives to pretrial detention and judges have released more than 1,600 people. Discrimination and Societal Abuses, Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination, Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, a. Since 2012, the Honduran government signed agreements with Transparency International, the Construction Sector Transparency Initiative, and the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative. 19 ianuarie 2023 It named 21 from Honduras, including former President Porfirio Lobo Sosa (2010-2014), who became ineligible for visas and admission to the US. La Ceiba, Trujillo) and major hotels; other tourist installations have increased private and police security. On March 3, unknown assailants killed Martin Pandy, president of the Garifuna community of Corozal, and another community member. On May 30, protesters blocked several main avenues in Tegucigalpa, including access to Toncontn International Airport (TGU). Sexual Exploitation of Children: The commercial sexual exploitation of children, especially in sex trafficking, remained a problem. The law prohibits the use of children younger than 18 for exhibitions or performances of a sexual nature or in the production of pornography. 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. Authorities often did not effectively enforce the law. Since 2010, there have been approximately 60 murders of U.S. citizens reported in Honduras. The U.S. Department of State strongly recommends purchasing international health insurance before traveling internationally. By MARLON GONZLEZ November 25, 2022. in the past 12 months, 32% twice, 6% three times, and 3% more than three times. Indigenous communities continued to report threats and acts of violence against them and against community and environmental activists. Credit card skimming is common. According to government estimates, children with disabilities attended school at a lower rate than the general population. 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. The law establishes an independent and impartial judiciary in civil matters, including access to a court to seek damages for human rights violations. This is an annual report produced in conjunction with the Regional Security Office at the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa. 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. The location and timing of criminal activity are unpredictable. There is no information to suggest that criminals specifically target U.S. citizens or foreigners. Several anonymous social media sites, possibly linked to political parties, criticized journalists (as well as activists and civil society organizations) who were critical of the government or opposition party policies. The government places specially trained police forces in areas tourists frequent (e.g. As of September CONADEH had received 33 complaints. The law criminalizes discrimination based on race and ethnicity and includes crimes committed against individuals because of race or ethnicity as aggravating circumstances to increase penalties for criminal offenses. Local law allows the police to detain someone for up to 24 hours for administrative processing. Violators face penalties of one to three years in prison and possible suspension of their professional licenses, but the government did not effectively enforce the law. Civil society continued to raise problems with minimum wage violations, highlighting agricultural companies in the south as frequent violators. The law mandates that authorities release detainees whose cases have not yet come to trial and whose time in pretrial detention already exceeds the maximum prison sentence for their alleged crime. Coordinator for the Arctic Region, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, Office of International Religious Freedom, Office of the Special Envoy To Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Office of the Science and Technology Adviser, Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services, Bureau of Information Resource Management, Office of Management Strategy and Solutions, Bureau of International Organization Affairs, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, U.S. CONADEH received complaints involving human rights abuses and referred them to the Public Ministry for investigation. Child, Early, and Forced Marriage: The minimum legal age of marriage for both boys and girls is 18. During July 2019 alone, the cities of San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa recorded 11 attacks leaving 15 people dead, mostly taxi drivers and bus drivers. With Autocrats on the Defensive, Can Democrats Rise to the Occasion. In June 2021, the Inter-American Commision on Human Rights (IACHR) estimated a 90 percent rate of impunity for crimes committed against human rights defenders in Honduras. Honduras has failed to uphold the Garifunas right to collective tenure over their lands and to promptly and adequately investigate threats and acts of harassment against community leaders, the IACHR stated in 2020. He was arrested again in April for separate but related charges. Share this via Reddit It prohibits employer retribution against employees for engaging in trade union activities. Land title procedures have been an issue leading to investment disputes involving U.S. nationals who are landowners. Arbitrary Arrest: CONADEH reported 38 reports of arbitrary arrest through August. 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. Why Money Launderers in Honduras May Be Getting Away With It ELITES AND CRIME / 1 NOV 2022 Honduras has freed dozens of individuals tied to organized crime a year after reforming its money laundering law. 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. The Public Ministry is responsible for prosecuting violations. In addition the center estimated approximately 937,000 individuals were forcibly displaced by natural disasters during 2020. The government launched a new Ministry of Transparency in November 2020 to address some of these concerns. There is no statutory rape law, but the penalty for rape of a minor younger than 14 is 12 to 17 years in prison, or nine to 13 years in prison if the victim is 14 or older. Of those, 37,114 were deported from Mexico and 4,689 from the US. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2019 was 42.01, a 7.91% increase from 2018. Share this via LinkedIn As of September the STSS had an insufficient number of inspectors to enforce the law effectively. Thefts, break-ins, assaults, rapes, and murders do occur. In June 2020, Congress passed a new penal code that introduced the crime of internal displacement, punishing, with prison sentences of six to nine years, those who, through violence or intimidation, force someone to abandon or change their place of living. Review the State Departments webpage on security for LGBTI+ travelers. In a 2020 survey by UNHCR and UNICEF, half of Hondurans interviewed in Mexico named violence as the main reason for their leaving. In addition to complying with local laws, companies involved in natural resource extraction or energy generation should ensure they fully consult with communities in accordance with international standards. The U.S. Embassy strongly discourages intercity car and bus travel after dark. Perdomo allegedly killed Keyla Martinez after she was detained for violating the countrys COVID-19 curfew. Pretrial Detention: Judicial inefficiency, corruption, and insufficient resources delayed proceedings in the criminal justice system, and lengthy pretrial detention was a serious problem. HONDURAS / 19 APR 2022 BY SETH ROBBINS EN. Organized criminal groups, such as drug traffickers and local and transnational gangs including MS-13 and the 18th Street gang, committed killings, extortion, kidnappings, human trafficking, and intimidation of police, prosecutors, journalists, women, human rights defenders, and others. The law requires police to inform persons of the grounds for their arrest and bring detainees before a competent judicial authority within 24 hours. The law prohibits employers from requiring pregnancy tests as a prerequisite for employment; penalties were not sufficient to deter violations. Child recruitment by gangs has caused many children to flee and abandon school. 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. The law does not authorize pretrial detention for crimes with a maximum sentence of five years or less. Reach the local police anywhere in Honduras by dialing, . The Honduras Medical Center (HMC) is the primary private hospital that the Embassy uses for emergency response and when hospitalization is required. NGOs reported the government did not effectively combat discrimination and promote equal access to government services or employment opportunities. While many protests remain relatively peaceful, demonstrations can escalate into violent confrontations with the police resulting in destruction to public and private property. An Ojai police car is parked on Thacher Road. Violent organized crime continues to disrupt Honduran society and push many people to leave the country. Serious crime in the city of Ojai was down for the third year in a row in 2022, according to figures released Feb. 22 by the Ventura County Sheriff's Office. Review OSACs reports, Hotels: The Inns and Outs and Considerations for Hotel Security. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2020 was 36.33, a 13.52% decline from 2019. Avoid protests, which can quickly turn violent. Best Buddies Turkey Ekibi; Videolar; Bize Ulan; honduras crime and safety report 2021 27 ub. The law provides for criminal penalties for corruption by officials, but authorities did not implement the law effectively, and officials continued to engage in corrupt practices with impunity. Do not travel to Gracias a Dios Department due to crime. Passing on blind corners is common. The government closed two pretrial detention centers in April due to low numbers of these types of pretrial detainees. Discrimination is also common in schools, the workplace, and in the home. You can add more than one country or area. honduras crime and safety report 2021 honduras crime and safety report 2021. google mountain view charge cash app; wect news bladen county; honduras crime and safety report 2021; honduras crime and safety report 2021. danville jail mugshots; marlin 1898 stock; 39 miles hunan impression . 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. Meanwhile, 59% reported having been assaulted at least once while a passenger in a taxi (Colectivo and Rolatero) in the past 12 months, 32% twice, 6% three times, and 3% more than three times. The location and timing of criminal activity are unpredictable. 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. 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. Review OSACs report, Security In Transit: Airplanes, Public Transport, and Overnights. Most children who worked did so without STSS permits. The law criminalizes discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity characteristics and includes crimes committed against individuals because of their sexual orientation or gender identity as aggravating circumstances to increase penalties for criminal offenses. Gangs are not reluctant to use violence, and specialize in murder-for-hire, carjacking, extortion, and other violent street crime. Review OSACs reports, There are an estimated 7,000-10,000 gang members in a country with an approximate population of ten million people. LGBTI+ travelers should exercise caution, especially when expressing affection in public. Share this via WhatsApp In 2013, Honduras reformed the penal code to recognize femicide as a crime. 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. Marco Bogran, former director of INVEST-H, the Honduran government entity tasked with providing coronavirus pandemic relief contracts to private firms, remained in pretrial detention awaiting his next court appearance, scheduled for January 31, 2022. Would you like to continue with this session or log out? By law women have equal access to educational opportunities. Airlines estimate that approximately 250,000 U.S. citizens flew into Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, or Roatn in 2019. The law allows the release of other suspects pending formal charges, on the condition that they periodically report to authorities, although management of this reporting mechanism was often weak. The center, administered by the National Prison Institute, was on a military installation and received some support services from the military. The 18th Street and MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha) gangs are the most active and powerful. The police generally treat detained foreigners well. A significant percentage of vehicles are in disrepair, underpowered, beyond their lifecycle, and would not meet U.S. road safety standards. The law provides for the right to a fair and public trial; however, the judiciary did not always enforce this right. Corruption along with a lack of investigative resources and judicial delays led to widespread impunity, including in security forces. ELITES AND CRIME / 1 NOV 2022 Honduras has freed dozens of individuals tied to organized crime a year after reforming its money laundering law. Airlines estimate that approximately 250,000 U.S. citizens flew into Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, or Roatn in 2019. It was unclear how many of these threats were related to the victims professions or activism. A 2019 Inter-American Commission on Human Rights report noted there were insufficient hospital beds and inadequate supplies at the only hospital that serviced Gracias a Dios Department, home to most of the Miskito community. The government did not effectively enforce the law. Civil society continued to criticize the law for classification of documents related to security and national defense, saying it limited transparency and allowed officials to use the classification of documents to obscure wrongdoing. The average age of first contact with gangs is 13 years old, a 2020 UN Development Programme report found. Children often worked on melon, coffee, okra, and sugarcane plantations as well as in other agricultural production; scavenged at garbage dumps; worked in the forestry and fishing sectors; worked as domestic servants; peddled goods such as fruit; begged; washed cars; hauled goods; and labored in limestone quarrying and lime production. There are no legal cases involving instances of terrorism affecting U.S. citizens or facilities brought before the Honduran judicial system, and no reports of judicial developments that would have a negative impact on U.S. counterterrorism efforts. Employers rarely paid the minimum wage in the agricultural sector and paid it inconsistently in other sectors. The government is implementing similar programs for other locations (e.g. The municipalities in which kidnappings were reported include: Districto Central (4), Jacaleapa (1), Trojes (1), Siguatepeque (1), Puerto Cortes (1), Lejamani (1), Tocoa (1), Tela (1), and Comayagua (1). Low salaries and a lack of internal controls rendered judicial officials susceptible to bribery. 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. Government officials were somewhat cooperative and responsive to their views, but some human rights organizations criticized government officials for lack of access and responsiveness. Review OSACs report, All That You Should Leave Behind. Abortion is illegal in Honduras under all circumstances, with prison sentences of up to six years. However, many petitions for pandemic release have been rejected. 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 Copan Mayan ruins and Roatn). More than half of the men and two-thirds of the women were in pretrial detention, according to official statistics. The most recent national and local elections were held in November. Share this via Twitter From 2015 through 2019, authorities arrested 4,196 gang members, the National Police reported. According to the Inter-American Press Association, 29 journalists were beneficiaries of official protective measures. The CDC offers additional information on vaccines and health guidance forHonduras. Discrimination occurs against ethnic minorities and the LGBTI+ community. The directorate issued 1,379 recommendations to the Ministry of Security for disciplinary actions as of September following internal investigations of national police members. Download Historical Data Mental health professionals expressed concern regarding social stigma by families and communities against persons with mental disabilities and a lack of access to mental health care throughout the country. Estimates of the number of children younger than 18 in the countrys workforce ranged from 370,000 to 510,000. Rural communities subject to increased food insecurity due to prolonged drought and extreme weather events are also vulnerable to displacement.
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