honduras crime and safety report 2022

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. Review OSACs report, 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. Some larger cities have police forces that operate independently of the national police and report to municipal authorities. However, there can be communal tension over land ownership, natural resource allocation, and exploitation. The location and timing of criminal activity are unpredictable. Discrimination is also common in schools, the workplace, and in the home. Honduras Profile - InSight Crime Ethnic minority rights leaders, international NGOs, and farmworker organizations claimed the government failed to redress actions taken by security forces, government agencies, private individuals, and businesses to dislodge farmers and indigenous persons from lands over which they claimed ownership based on land reform law or ancestral land titles. In September police arrested Denis Abel Ordonez, Michael Andre Mejia, and Walter Antonio Matute Raudales in connection with her murder. 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. Informal Sector: According to the STSS, approximately 75 percent of workers worked in the informal economy, equivalent to approximately 2.7 million persons. Honduras: Freedom in the World 2022 Country Report | Freedom House Violent gang activity, such as extortion, violent street crime, rape, and narcotics and human trafficking, is widespread. Administration: The judicial system is legally responsible for monitoring prison conditions and providing for the rights of prisoners. Some nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) expressed concern regarding weak implementation of the law and limited resources available to operate the governments protection mechanism. Reports of kidnappings of U.S. citizens are not common, with zero reports for 2019. 2022 Investment Climate Statements: Honduras In this section / Executive Summary Executive Summary 1. or the United States Government, except as otherwise noted (e.g., travel advisories, public statements). Criminals sometimes obtain personal information through social media, the internet, or a victims family member. These conditions contributed to an unstable, dangerous environment in the penitentiary system. Review OSACs report, Kidnapping: The Basics. However, in June and October 2021 it abstained from OAS resolutions condemning arrests of Nicaraguan presidential opposition candidates and critics and demanding their release. Contraception supplies continued to be limited. The National Police is responsible for avoiding and investigating crimes in Honduras, and consists of the National Preventive Police and different special units focused on anti-gang and anti . honduras crime and safety report 2022. how to wear a sheath dress to a wedding; apple music not working on android; honduras crime and safety report 2022. figure 8 racing near me 2022; what does the god particle look like; . Limited inspections could facilitate movements of terrorists. Veterinary Services, Strategy and Policy, Animal Product Import and Export (APIE) 4700 River Road, Unit 40. Low salaries and a lack of internal controls rendered judicial officials susceptible to bribery. Deputies arrested James Weatherly, 63, after serving a search warrant on a property in the 1300 block of West First Street in Halsey, an agency news release said. The law does not authorize pretrial detention for crimes with a maximum sentence of five years or less. 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. Women with disabilities are not included in general policies to prevent violence against women. As a result of Honduran government efforts in close cooperation with the United States, homicide rates have fallen from 86.0 per 100,000 residents in 2012 to 43.6 per 100,000 at the end of 2019. Some would-be muggers and gang members keep to a daily schedule, riding city buses from one stop to the next, committing criminal acts with impunity along the way. In October, Honduras was elected as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2022-2024 term. 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. The government continued to prosecute individuals allegedly involved in the 2016 killing of environmental and indigenous activist Berta Caceres. Medical care is limited. The directorate issued 1,379 recommendations to the Ministry of Security for disciplinary actions as of September following internal investigations of national police members. The 18th Street and MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha) gangs are the most active and powerful. Police report for Feb. 27, 2023 | Crime | themercury.com The trial began five years after the prize-winning activist's murder. For more in-depth information, review OSACs Honduras country page for original OSAC reporting, consular messages, and contact information, some of which may be available only to private-sector representatives with an OSAC password. 03 / Select Countries You can add more than one country or area. Review the State Departments webpage on insurance overseas. The National Human Rights Commission (CONADEH) reported 15 arbitrary or unlawful killings by security forces as of August. otherwise distributing OSAC-derived information in a manner inconsistent with this policy may result in the discontinuation of OSAC support. 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. Home. The government places specially trained police forces in areas tourists frequent (e.g. 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. Monopoly on the use of force '06 '22 10 1 5 6 5 While the nation-state is recognized by the majority of the population as legitimate, deep mistrust continues to exist between the state and significant parts of its citizens. Honduras - Organized Crime News - InSight Crime 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. 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. Coca Growing, Cocaine Production Reach New Heights in Honduras. There have been repeated allegations of collusion between security forces and criminal organizations. 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. Anticorruption efforts remained an area of concern, as did the governments ability to protect justice-sector officials, such as prosecutors and judges. The Embassy cannot secure the release or act as legal representation for any U.S. citizen. Those traveling with tour/missionary groups report fewer criminal incidents. Assassinations and violence continue under military supervision. The law grants workers the right to form and join unions of their choice, bargain collectively, and strike. Overseas Security Advisory Council To reduce overcrowding in response to the pandemic, the legislature approved alternatives to pretrial detention and judges have released more than 1,600 people. Cable signal theft and counterfeit products are the most prevalent violations of intellectual property rights in Honduras. An independent press and a functioning democratic political system combined to promote freedom of expression, including for members of the media. 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 U.S. Department of State strongly recommends purchasing international health insurance before traveling internationally. Authorities often did not effectively enforce the law. Health-care workers protested the lack of adequate protective equipment and delayed salary payments during the COVID-19 pandemic. A bill was introduced in 2019 to prevent, assist, and protect people internally displaced by violence. Media noted that family members often faced long delays or were unable to visit detainees. Share this via LinkedIn 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. The government generally respected these provisions. As of December 2020, internally displaced people in Honduras represented almost 80 percent of the internally displaced population in Central America and Mexico. The law also requires that public-sector workers involved in the refining, transportation, and distribution of petroleum products submit their grievances to the Secretariat of Labor and Social Security (STSS) before striking. The Honduras Medical Center (HMC) is the primary private hospital that the Embassy uses for emergency response and when hospitalization is required. Sample Page; ; The center, administered by the National Prison Institute, was on a military installation and received some support services from the military. The law does not permit active members of the military or civilian security forces to vote. Penalties for the possession, use, or trafficking of illegal narcotics are strict; convicted offenders can expect lengthy jail sentences and fines. There have also been cases of police harassment of patrons in LGBTI+ nightclubs. Authorities continued to investigate the incident. On March 3, unknown assailants killed Martin Pandy, president of the Garifuna community of Corozal, and another community member. There were credible reports that members of the security forces committed some abuses. Major urban centers and drug trafficking routes experienced the highest rates of violence. The Ministry of Securitys Directorate of Disciplinary Police Affairs investigated members of the Honduran National Police accused of human rights abuses. However, kidnapping figures are likely lower than reality, as families of kidnapping victims often pay ransoms without reporting these crimes to police out of fear of retribution. 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 A 59-year-old man was listed as the victim when it was . Authorities did not generally segregate those with tuberculosis or other infectious diseases from the general prison population; as of September the National Prison Institute reported 106 prisoners had been treated for tuberculosis. Watchlist 2022 Crisis in Honduras: Ongoing violence and climate shocks Here are three reasons the International Rescue Committee's Emergency Watchlist ranks Honduras among 20 countries most at risk of worsening humanitarian crisis in 2022. However, kidnapping figures are likely lower than reality, as families of kidnapping victims often pay ransoms without reporting these crimes to police out of fear of retribution. 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. honduras crime and safety report 2021. Review OSACs report, Understanding the Consular Travel Advisory System. gangs are the most active and powerful. In 2018, the government created a special force to fight gangs (Fuerza Nacional Anti Maras y Pandillas), with members from the police, military, and Attorney Generals Office. 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. In a 2020 survey by UNHCR and UNICEF, half of Hondurans interviewed in Mexico named violence as the main reason for their leaving. The law grants prisoners the right to prompt access to a lawyer of their choice and, if indigent, to government-provided counsel, although the public defender mechanism was weak, and authorities did not always abide by these requirements. Some judges, however, ruled that such suspects may be released on the condition that they continue to report periodically to authorities. In 2019, there was one murder case involving a resident U.S. citizen in Roatn. Child, Early, and Forced Marriage: The minimum legal age of marriage for both boys and girls is 18. Forced labor occurred in street vending, domestic service, the transport of drugs and other illicit goods, other criminal activity, and the informal sector. Authorities generally respected these rights. In January the government funded the opening of a UN Office of Drugs and Crime office to begin a government transparency project and support the drafting of the countrys first national anticorruption strategy. 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. Gang violence is widespread in and around urban areas. It stipulates that a prosecutor has 24 additional hours to decide if there is probable cause for indictment, whereupon a judge has 24 more hours to decide whether to issue a temporary detention order. According to the Honduran National Police, there were 12 kidnappings reported nationwide during 2019. 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. There is street crime even in gated communities commonly referred to locally asBarrio Seguros; these are generally safer areas in which to reside because of their heightened security measures. Honduras fragile institutions fail to protect the rights of children, including adolescents, and ensure that they have access to basic services such as education and healthcare, the IACHR reported in 2019. On October 7, the National Congress passed changes to the money-laundering law to designate civil society organizations as politically exposed persons due to organizations use of foreign aid. The following diseases are prevalent in Honduras: Chikungunya, Dengue Fever, Malaria, and Zika. A 22-year-old woman was listed as the victim when it was reported her Tao Blade . The law permits fines, and while the monetary penalty is sufficient to deter violations and commensurate with the penalties for similar crimes, such as fraud, the failure of the government to collect those fines facilitated continued labor code violations. Contact OSACs, https://www.facebook.com/embajadahonduras/, https://hn.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/spsca/, External links to other internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein, Travel Advisory: Honduras - Level 3 (Reconsider Travel), Central America Natural Disaster Emergency Planning: OSAC Guidance and Resources. 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. Federal grand jury indicts man on hate crime charges after he allegedly The trial has been marred by irregularities. Passing on blind corners is common. 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 were no credible reports of political prisoners or detainees. The law prohibits all forms of forced labor, but the government did not effectively implement or enforce the law. The government did not effectively enforce the law. Periodic medical evaluations had not found Lobo healthy enough to proceed. 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 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. Impunity for such crimes remained high, as was the impunity rate for all types of crime. The secretariat reported assisting 127 IDPs as of August. The law prohibits workers from legally striking until after they have attempted and failed to come to agreement with their employer, and it requires workers and employers to participate in a mediation and conciliation process. 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 Honduran government is modernizing some of the main transportation road networks to four-lane highways, which can lead to increased travel times because of ongoing construction. Contact OSACsLatin Americateam with any questions or to join. Although Honduras has reduced its homicide rate by half since 2011, it remains one of the worlds highest, with 44.8 murders per 100,000 population in 2019. Corruption along with a lack of investigative resources and judicial delays led to widespread impunity, including in security forces. Efforts to reform public security institutions have stalled. Gangs kill, disappear, rape, or displace those who resist. The U.S. Department of State has assessed Tegucigalpa as being a CRITICAL-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. However, many petitions for pandemic release have been rejected. Crime down in Ojai, but still lock doors | News | ojaivalleynews.com Those traveling with tour/missionary groups report fewer criminal incidents. Nevertheless, social discrimination against racial and ethnic groups persisted, as did physical violence. Share this via Telegram Office of the Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology, Office of the U.S. There was limited support for persons with mental illnesses or disabilities. He was arrested again in April for separate but related charges. Coca farms and cocaine production camps are proliferating in Honduras, showing that the illicit crop has taken root in the country after years of low-level experimentation. Gangs control some of the taxi services. The country does not appear to be a terrorist safe haven. The government prosecuted some officials who committed abuses, including government corruption, but a weak judicial system and corruption were major obstacles to obtaining convictions. The government investigated and prosecuted some of these crimes, but impunity was widespread. As of September the Secretariat of Human Rights reported the countrys pretrial detention center held 33 individuals. The law provides a maximum sentence of three years in prison for disobeying a restraining order connected with the crime of violence against a woman. The Honduras Medical Center (HMC) is the primary private hospital that the Embassy uses for emergency response and when hospitalization is required. The police, along with the Ministry of Defenses Military Public Order Police (PMOP), routinely establish checkpoints and review documentation (e.g. 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. Detained U.S. citizens should insist on speaking to U.S. Embassy representatives as soon as possible. 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. Linn County deputies seize more than 500 marijuana plants from Halsey Many of these U.S. citizens are church and humanitarian aid volunteers working throughout the country, including in gang-controlled neighborhoods. 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. Avoid using Collectivos (white sedan taxis with a sticker on the windshield denoting its established route), Roleteros (private white sedan taxis with no established routes), and Rapiditos (small buses that pick up multiple riders). Would you like to continue with this session or log out? The government investigated violence and threats of violence against union leaders. The most recent national and local elections were held in November. On July 6, unknown assailants shot and killed land rights defender Juan Manuel Moncada in Tocoa, Colon Department. . The government used the pretrial detention center to hold high-profile suspects and those in need of additional security, including police and military officials. 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. Garza is wanted in Honduras for homicide. Please note that all OSAC products are for internal U.S. private sector security purposes only. Journalists; environmental activists; human rights defenders; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals; and people with disabilities are among the groups targeted for violence. Impunity remains the norm. The law provides for freedom of peaceful assembly, and the government generally respected this right. La Ceiba, Trujillo) and major hotels; other tourist installations have increased private and police security. Meanwhile, 59% reported having been assaulted at least once while a passenger in a taxi (. ) The government did not effectively enforce the law. Impunity for such crimes remained high, as was the impunity rate for all types of crime. The Cattrachas Lesbian Network reported 17 violent deaths of LGBTQI+ persons as of August. Only sealed commercial water containers (bottles) are considered safe to drink. ELITES AND CRIME / 1 NOV 2022 Honduras has freed dozens of individuals tied to organized crime a year after reforming its money laundering law. Share this via Printer. There were no government restrictions on academic freedom or cultural events. for original OSAC reporting, consular messages, and contact information, some of which may be available only to private-sector representatives with an OSAC password. A wide variety of domestic and international human rights groups generally operated without government restriction, investigating and publishing their findings on human rights cases. 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. If you or someone you know becomes the victim of a crime, contact the local police and U.S. Embassy Tegucigalpa. 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. It also provides key data, such as crime counts. The law states that a womans employment should be appropriate according to her physical state and capacity. Honduran law requires access to buildings for persons with disabilities; however, there are limited facilities for individuals with disabilities. On July 25, media reported individuals shot and killed Liberal Party congressional candidate and former congresswoman Carolina Echeverria Haylock in Tegucigalpa. Honduras requires proof of Yellow Fever immunization if coming from another country endemic with Yellow Fever. The STSS did not approve any authorizations through September. The Honduran National Police wear blue uniforms, while the PMOP normally wear green camouflage. Historically, governments have responded to organized crime with iron-fist security strategies. Civil society continued to raise problems with minimum wage violations, highlighting agricultural companies in the south as frequent violators. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining, b. 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. Nevertheless, Honduras had yet to sign the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean (Escaz . honduras crime and safety report 2021 - smartfxmarket.com 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. In addition the law prohibits strikes in a wide range of economic activities that the government has designated as essential services or that it considers would affect the rights of individuals in the larger community to security, health, education, and economic and social well-being. In cooperation with the UN Development Program (UNDP), the government operated consolidated reporting centers in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula where women could report crimes, seek medical and psychological attention, and receive other services. Roads have poor lighting and markings. 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. The public transportation sector is a regular target of extortion, and experiences higher levels of homicide than many other sectors. 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. The Office of the Inspector General of the Armed Forces and the Humanitarian Law Directorate investigated and arrested members of the military accused of human rights abuses. honduras crime and safety report 2022. OSAC encourages travelers to, to gain baseline knowledge of security conditions in Honduras. Due to the lack of enforcement of traffic laws, travelers should make an extraordinary effort to drive defensively. Country-specific Vaccination and Health Guidance. open sources and (U) embassy reporting. There were no credible reports of disappearances by or on behalf of government authorities. The rainy season usually runs May-November. Abortion is illegal in Honduras under all circumstances, with prison sentences of up to six years. Posted at 09:48h in michael deluise matt leblanc by Since 2012, the Honduran government signed agreements with Transparency International, the Construction Sector Transparency Initiative, and the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative. Honduras declared a state of exception as extortion cases rise, suspending constitutional rights in cities and deploying thousands of troops. Public-sector trade unionists raised concerns regarding government interference in trade union activities, including its suspension or ignoring of collective agreements and its dismissals of union members and leaders.

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