Fines for child labor were not sufficient to deter violations and not commensurate with penalties for other analogous serious crimes, such as kidnapping. Military Arsenals Provide Convenient Source of Weapons for Latin American Gangs ARMS TRAFFICKING / 4 OCT 2022 International organizations, the United States, and the United Kingdom have expressed their support for Santos work. 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. Do not travel to Gracias a Dios Department due to crime. The law entered into force on November 1. Responding police fired tear gas in and around the main terminal to regain control after protesters entered the building and airport grounds. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining, b. honduras crime and safety report 2021. These crimes may have been the result of tips from sources surveilling the airport arrival area. Corruption along with a lack of investigative resources and judicial delays led to widespread impunity, including in security forces. He was arrested again in April for separate but related charges. The constitution prohibits practicing clergy from running for office or participating in political campaigns. Penalties for violations of occupational safety and health law were commensurate with penalties for similar crimes. Lanza said that 50 drivers have been killed so far in 2022, and a total of 2,500 have been killed over the last 15 years. 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 Public Ministry is responsible for prosecuting violations. On July 6, unknown assailants shot and killed land rights defender Juan Manuel Moncada in Tocoa, Colon Department. Abuse of Migrants and Refugees: Transiting migrants and asylum seekers with pending cases were vulnerable to abuse and sexual exploitation by criminal organizations. As of September, more than 20,000 people were detained in prisons with capacity for under 11,000. Do not travel to Gracias a Dios Department due to crime. 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 number of inspections increased significantly as the STSS resumed normal inspections, suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Global AIDS Coordinator and Global Health Diplomacy, Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, Special Representative for Syria Engagement, U.S. Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Office of the U.S. Displaced Children: Civil society organizations reported that common causes of forced displacement for youth included death threats for failure to pay extortion, attempted recruitment by gangs, witnessing criminal activity by gangs or organized criminal groups, domestic violence, attempted kidnappings, family members involvement in drug dealing, victimization by traffickers, rape including commercial sexual exploitation by gangs, discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, sexual harassment, and discrimination for having a chronic medical condition. Inconsistent, retroactive implementation of provisions of the revised code led to logjams in the legal system and impunity for some of the accused. Gangs are not reluctant to use violence, and specialize in murder-for-hire, carjacking, extortion, and other violent street crime. Is Honduras Safe to Visit in 2022 - What to Expect - On The View Corruption and Lack of Transparency in Government, Section 5. There is no information to suggest that criminals specifically target U.S. citizens or foreigners. Best Buddies Turkey Ekibi; Videolar; Bize Ulan; honduras crime and safety report 2021 27 ub. 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. Estimates of the number of children younger than 18 in the countrys workforce ranged from 370,000 to 510,000. The country does not appear to be a terrorist safe haven. Pretrial Detention: Judicial inefficiency, corruption, and insufficient resources delayed proceedings in the criminal justice system, and lengthy pretrial detention was a serious problem. There were reports that the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings. Detained U.S. citizens should insist on speaking to U.S. Embassy representatives as soon as possible. The Public Ministry reported seven cases of alleged illegal detention or arbitrary arrest as of September. Driving in Honduras can be dangerous. These conditions contributed to an unstable, dangerous environment in the penitentiary system. Natural Disasters Risk: Medium. Hondurans continue to be affected by MS-13 and Calle 18 gang activity in cities such as Tegucigalpa, Choloma, La Ceiba, Tela, and San Pedro Sula. 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. Review OSACs report, Security In Transit: Airplanes, Public Transport, and Overnights. Cruise lines and port agencies offer approved tour companies offering packages. According to the Inter-American Press Association, 29 journalists were beneficiaries of official protective measures. Review the State Departments webpage on security for LGBTI+ travelers. Child recruitment by gangs has caused many children to flee and abandon school. Employers rarely paid the minimum wage in the agricultural sector and paid it inconsistently in other sectors. 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. Honduras Crime Rate & Statistics 1990-2023 | MacroTrends Discrimination occurs against ethnic minorities and the LGBTI+ community. Informal Sector: According to the STSS, approximately 75 percent of workers worked in the informal economy, equivalent to approximately 2.7 million persons. NGOs reported IDPs were at increased risk of victimization and exploitation by criminal groups, which was also often the cause of displacement. 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. Would you like to continue with this session or log out? Physical Conditions: Prisoners suffered from severe overcrowding, malnutrition, lack of adequate sanitation and medical care, and, in some prisons, lack of adequate ventilation and lighting. Anticorruption efforts remained an area of concern, as did the governments ability to protect justice-sector officials, such as prosecutors and judges. Assassinations and violence continue under military supervision. While hurricane winds are a concern, much of the damage to infrastructure comes as a result of the ensuing flooding and rock/mudslides. The Ministries of Security and of Defense both have human rights offices that coordinate human rights-related activities with the Secretariat of Human Rights. The Honduras Medical Center (HMC) is the primary private hospital that the Embassy uses for emergency response and when hospitalization is required. In 2022, 34 femicides have been registered as of 21 In 2022, 34 femicides were registered and 17. Occupational Safety and Health: The government did not effectively enforce occupational safety and health standards, particularly in the construction, garment assembly, and agricultural sectors, as well as in the informal economy. Media linked her killing to organized criminal groups and drug trafficking organizations. Violent transnational criminal organizations are also involved in narcotics trafficking and other illicit commerce. The Secretariat of Human Rights provided training to security forces to reinforce respect for human rights. Travelers should be aware, however, that the assistance the Embassy can provide is limited to making sure U.S. citizens are not treated differently from local detainees and providing them with a list of local attorneys. Freedom to Participate in the Political Process, Section 4. Credit card skimming is common. Under the new inspection law, the STSS has the authority temporarily to shut down workplaces where there is an imminent danger of fatalities; however, there were not enough trained inspectors to deter violations sufficiently. U.S. citizens have been the victims of a wide range of crimes, including murder, kidnapping, rape, assault, and property crimes. 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. 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. 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. Publishing or These efforts were insufficient due to limited political will, inadequate staffing, limited or no services in rural areas, absence of or inadequate training and awareness of domestic violence among police and other authorities, and a pattern of male-dominant culture and norms. 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. Your session will expire soon and log you out. BTI 2022 Honduras Country Report gangs are the most active and powerful. 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 Review OSACs reports, There are an estimated 7,000-10,000 gang members in a country with an approximate population of ten million people. With offices throughout the country, the ombudsperson received cases that otherwise might not have risen to national attention. Embassy employees and others have experienced skimming at well-known restaurants, hotels, and retailers. Rural communities subject to increased food insecurity due to prolonged drought and extreme weather events are also vulnerable to displacement. 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. A revision to the penal code that entered into force in June 2020 broadly reduces criminal penalties for corruption by officials. Defendants may not be compelled to testify or confess guilt. There are no known international terrorist groups operating in Honduras. As of October 17, 42,357 Hondurans were deported in 2021 to Hondurasmore than the total throughout 2020the government reported. Extortion threats commonly originate through social engineering. Government Human Rights Bodies: A semiautonomous commissioner for human rights, Blanca Izaguirre, served as an ombudsperson and investigated complaints of human rights abuses. Some employers either refused to engage in collective bargaining or made it very difficult to do so. Some companies also delayed appointing or failed to appoint representatives for required STSS-led mediation, a practice that prolonged the mediation process and impeded the right to strike. Honduras Humanitarian Needs Overview 2023 (September 2022) A wide variety of domestic and international human rights groups generally operated without government restriction, investigating and publishing their findings on human rights cases. Sample Page; ; The law also sanctions abortion providers. The government closed two pretrial detention centers in April due to low numbers of these types of pretrial detainees. Download the State Departments Crime Victims Assistance brochure. La Ceiba, Trujillo) and major hotels; other tourist installations have increased private and police security. Backsliding occurred in cases brought during the four-year mandate of the OAS Mission to Support the Fight Against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras; several of its cases were dismissed or postponed as courts heard appeals based on the new code. As of December 2020, internally displaced people in Honduras represented almost 80 percent of the internally displaced population in Central America and Mexico. 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. Always carry a mobile phone in case of emergency. honduras crime and safety report 2022. For fire and public safety emergencies, dial 911. According to the Honduran National Police, there were 12 kidnappings reported nationwide during 2019. Following anticorruption protests in 2015, President Hernandez signed an agreement with the Organization of American States to form the Mission Against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (MACCIH). The law requires police to inform persons of the grounds for their arrest and bring detainees before a competent judicial authority within 24 hours. drivers licenses, vehicle registration). Impunity for such crimes remained high, as was the impunity rate for all types of crime. For crimes with minimum sentences of six years imprisonment, the law authorizes pretrial detention of up to two years. Only sealed commercial water containers (bottles) are considered safe to drink. 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 legal age of consent is 18. Gang violence is widespread in and around urban areas. Historically, governments have responded to organized crime with iron-fist security strategies. The trial began five years after the prize-winning activist's murder. Penalties include prison sentences of up to two years and monetary fines. The government maintained the Interinstitutional Commission for the Protection of Persons Displaced by Violence and created the Directorate for the Protection of Persons Internally Displaced by Violence within the Secretariat of Human Rights. Bureau of Diplomatic Security The law permits strikes by workers in export-processing zones and free zones for companies that provide services to industrial parks, but it requires that strikes not impede the operations of other factories in such parks. The government provided victims of sexual violence access to other health-care services. honduras crime and safety report 2021. As of September the Secretariat of Human Rights reported the countrys pretrial detention center held 33 individuals. 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. Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, La Ceiba) have homicide rates higher than the national average, as do several Honduran departments (a geographic designation like U.S. States), includingAtlntida, Coln, Corts, San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa, andYoro. Land title procedures have been an issue leading to investment disputes involving U.S. nationals who are landowners. Avoid using. The law requires that persons with disabilities have access to buildings, but few buildings were accessible, and the government did not effectively implement laws or programs to provide such access. Around 191,000 people were internally displaced because of violence between 2004 and 2018, the government reported. Her retrial was scheduled for February 2022. Since 2010, there have been approximately 60 murders of U.S. citizens reported in Honduras. The STSS did not approve any authorizations through September. honduras crime and safety report 2021 - bestbuddiesturkey.org Download the State Departments Crime Victims Assistance, For fire and public safety emergencies, dial. The reported killings took place during law enforcement operations or were linked to criminal activity by government agents. The security situation is expected to continue to deteriorate in 2020 and 2021. Sexual Harassment: The law criminalizes sexual harassment, including in employment. 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. The law provides for freedom of association, and the government generally respected this right. (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). Crisis in Honduras: Ongoing violence and climate shocks Civil unrest in Tegucigalpa and other parts of Honduras remains a constant challenge. 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. The U.S. Department of State strongly recommends purchasing international health insurance before traveling internationally. The 18th Street and MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha) gangs are the most active and powerful. Review OSACs report, Understanding the Consular Travel Advisory System. There are an estimated 7,000-10,000 gang members in a country with an approximate population of ten million people. In 2019, seven others were convicted for carrying out the killing. 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. There was no information available on any major industrial accidents. As of September inspectors conducted 8,846 total inspections, compared with 4,102 total inspections for the same period in 2020. From January to September 2021, 31,894 Hondurans requested asylum in Mexico, the Mexican Commission for Refugee Aid (COMAR) reportedfiling more than 35 percent of Mexicos total asylum petitions. 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 . Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor, c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment, d. Discrimination with Respect to Employment and Occupation. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2018 was 38.93, a 5.01% decline from 2017. Observers noted several significant improvements in transparency procedures, including electoral reforms, an updated voter registry and new national identification cards, and new technology that included a biometric verification system and a preliminary results transmission system. These workers are not covered by the contributory social security system and are not protected by the labor code. Indigenous and ethnic minority communities are frequently located in rural areas, which enjoy lower levels of criminal activity. 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, , 31% twice, 11% three times, and 10% more than three times. Due to the remote nature of these areas, the governments ability to respond to violence or other problems is often very limited, as is access to medical facilities. Diarrheal illness is very common even in large cities and luxury accommodations. There was limited support for persons with mental illnesses or disabilities. Those traveling with tour/missionary groups report fewer criminal incidents. Despite incremental progress, government capacities remained relatively nascent and limited. CONADEH received four reports as of August. The IACHR received information on frequent threats of lawsuits and prosecutions, including for slander and libel, hindering human rights work in Honduras. 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. Find contact information for available medical services and available air ambulance services on the U.S. Embassy/Consulate, Travelers are responsible for ensuring that they have adequate health coverage while in Honduras. Its operations to receive and process cases were reliant on substantial support from UNHCR. Defendants may receive free assistance from an interpreter. Overcrowding, inadequate nutrition, poor sanitation, beatings, intra-gang violence, and killings are endemic in prisons. 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. The Office of the Inspector General of the Armed Forces and the Humanitarian Law Directorate investigated abuses by the military. An independent press and a functioning democratic political system combined to promote freedom of expression, including for members of the media. It named 21 from Honduras, including former President Porfirio Lobo Sosa (2010-2014), who became ineligible for visas and admission to the US. Nonetheless, many prisoners remained in custody after completing their full sentences, and sometimes even after an acquittal, because officials failed to process their releases expeditiously. Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) Advanced Training. The court ordered Honduras to train security forces to investigate anti-LGBT violence and to adopt a process allowing people to change the gender listed on their documents to match their identity. 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 Persons with HIV and AIDS continued to be targets of discrimination, and they suffered disproportionately from gender-based violence. 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. Linn County deputies seize more than 500 marijuana plants from Halsey Judges face interferenceincluding political pressure, threats, and harassmentfrom the executive branch, private actors with connections to government, and gangs. 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. There are no known international terrorist groups operating in Honduras. International observers acknowledged some of these irregularities but reported they were not systematic and not widespread enough to affect the outcome of the presidential election. 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. Vanessa worked as a volunteer in the Association for Prevention and Education in Health, Sexuality, AIDS, and Human Rights. Government officials were somewhat cooperative and responsive to their views, but some human rights organizations criticized government officials for lack of access and responsiveness. The Supreme Court, particularly its president, exerts excessive control over the appointment and removal of judges, and career instability limits judges independence. 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. The law establishes prison sentences of up to two and one-half years for child abuse. According to Human Rights Watch, Honduras is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for members of these groups. Riverdale, MD 20737. Honduras - United States Department of State It prohibits employer retribution against employees for engaging in trade union activities. Both the secretariat and the commission focused on developing policies to address IDPs. Arbitrary Arrest: CONADEH reported 38 reports of arbitrary arrest through August. 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 cooperated with UNHCR and other humanitarian organizations that provide protection and assistance to refugees and other persons of concern. Efforts to reform public security institutions have stalled. In-country Movement: There were areas where authorities could not assure freedom of movement because of criminal activity and a lack of significant government presence. Drug trafficking and gang activity, which includes local micro-trafficking of narcotics and extortion, are the main causes of violent crime in Honduras. . The law prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention and provides for the right of any person to challenge the lawfulness of his or her arrest or detention in court. Since MACCIH left, the Attorney Generals Office has harassed and intimidated the head of its own anti-corruption criminal enterprise office, Prosecutor Luis Javier Santos, and members of his team. Share this via LinkedIn The law permits defendants to confront witnesses against them and offer witnesses and evidence in their defense. Persons from indigenous and Afro-descendant communities continued to experience discrimination in employment, education, housing, and health services. Violence linked to land disputes also occurs, particularly in the Bay Islands and Bajo Aguan Valley in northern Honduras. World Report 2022: Honduras | Human Rights Watch 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. The designation requires banks to impose a higher level of scrutiny on politically exposed persons financial transactions. The government did not effectively enforce these laws and regulations, although penalties were commensurate with laws related to civil rights, such as election interference.