There were no government restrictions on academic freedom or cultural events. Defendants may not be compelled to testify or confess guilt. 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. 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. In February, journalist Henry Fiallos and his family received anonymous death threats after he covered a femicide in which police officers were implicated. Assassinations and violence continue under military supervision. The law also sanctions abortion providers. 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. 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. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2019 was 42.01, a 7.91% increase from 2018. The law provides for an independent judiciary, but the justice system was poorly funded and staffed, inadequately equipped, often ineffective, and subject to intimidation, corruption, politicization, and patronage. There were numerous reports of government corruption during the year. Traffic signs, even on major highways, are often inadequate; streets are often unmarked even in major cities. Despite incremental progress, government capacities remained relatively nascent and limited. The government closed two pretrial detention centers in April due to low numbers of these types of pretrial detainees. Review OSACs report, All That You Should Leave Behind. Crisis in Honduras: Ongoing violence and climate shocks The Secretariat of Human Rights reported that as of September 7, the total prison population was 20,768 in 25 prisons and one detention center. 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. The government failed to control pervasive gang-related violence and criminal activity within the prisons. There were no reports of this law being used to limit womens employment. Embassy employees and others have experienced skimming at well-known restaurants, hotels, and retailers. From 2015 through 2019, authorities arrested 4,196 gang members, the National Police reported. Freedom to Participate in the Political Process, Section 4. The designation requires banks to impose a higher level of scrutiny on politically exposed persons financial transactions. Officials flew Garza, a 48-year-old . Honduras requires proof of Yellow Fever immunization if coming from another country endemic with Yellow Fever. The accused were in pretrial detention awaiting the next phase of the judicial process. By MARLON GONZLEZ November 25, 2022. However, many petitions for pandemic release have been rejected. There was limited support for persons with mental illnesses or disabilities. Sexual Exploitation of Children: The commercial sexual exploitation of children, especially in sex trafficking, remained a problem. 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. Journalists; environmental activists; human rights defenders; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals; and people with disabilities are among the groups targeted for violence. 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. The Covid-19 pandemic has further limited access to education. However, there can be communal tension over land ownership, natural resource allocation, and exploitation. It also provides for paid national holidays and annual leave. The Linn County Sheriff's Office . Impunity for such crimes remained high, as was the impunity rate for all types of crime. Driving in Honduras can be dangerous. However, there can be communal tension over land ownership, natural resource allocation, and exploitation. International non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and USAID implementing partners have reported threats and violence when visiting some rural communities. The government is implementing similar programs for other locations (e.g. U.S. Department of State - United States Department of State Reports of kidnappings of U.S. citizens are not common, with zero reports for 2019. 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. While many protests remain relatively peaceful, demonstrations can escalate into violent confrontations with the police resulting in destruction to public and private property. honduras crime and safety report 2021. 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. Honduras has a long history of sustaining damage due to powerful tropical storms and hurricanes. The Office of the Inspector General of the Armed Forces and the Humanitarian Law Directorate investigated abuses by the military. Title insurance is not widely available in Honduras and approximately 80% of the privately held land in the country is either untitled or improperly titled. In September police arrested Denis Abel Ordonez, Michael Andre Mejia, and Walter Antonio Matute Raudales in connection with her murder. Local, Regional, and International Terrorism Threats/Concerns. Office of the Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology, Office of the U.S. The reported killings took place during law enforcement operations or were linked to criminal activity by government agents. Air pollution can aggravate or lead to respiratory problems during the dry season due to widespread forest fires and agricultural burning. The law states that a womans employment should be appropriate according to her physical state and capacity. Journalists; environmental activists; human rights defenders; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and. Diarrheal illness is very common even in large cities and luxury accommodations. The government had a nascent system to provide legal protection to refugees. 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. Rural communities subject to increased food insecurity due to prolonged drought and extreme weather events are also vulnerable to displacement. 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. 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. See the Department of States Trafficking in Persons Report at https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/. Review OSACs reports, Hotels: The Inns and Outs and Considerations for Hotel Security. On March 3, unknown assailants killed Martin Pandy, president of the Garifuna community of Corozal, and another community member. Union leaders and labor activists in both the public and private sector face harassment, dismissal, and violence for their activities. -threat location for political violence directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. Penalties for the possession, use, or trafficking of illegal narcotics are strict; convicted offenders can expect lengthy jail sentences and fines. Abusers caught in the act may be detained for up to 24 hours as a preventive measure. Reach the local police anywhere in Honduras by dialing 911. Always carry a mobile phone in case of emergency. Advanced Scuba Diver; Ultimate Rescue Diver; Specialties. The police generally treat detained foreigners well. UNHCR Factsheet March 2022 - Honduras | ReliefWeb 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. The law does not criminalize domestic violence but provides penalties of up to 12 years in prison for violence against a family member, depending on the severity of the assault and aggravating circumstances. 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 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. An independent press and a functioning democratic political system combined to promote freedom of expression, including for members of the media. Because labor inspectors continued to be concentrated in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, full labor inspections and follow-up visits to confirm compliance were far less frequent in other parts of the country. There is no information to suggest that criminals specifically target U.S. citizens or foreigners. 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. There are no known international terrorist groups operating in Honduras. These workers are not covered by the contributory social security system and are not protected by the labor code. the Copan Mayan ruins and Roatn). Review OSACs report, Understanding the Consular Travel Advisory System, The U.S. Department of State has assessed Tegucigalpa as being a. Most demonstrations were concentrated in or around city centers, public buildings, and other public areas. Extortion threats commonly originate through social engineering. CONAPREV reported 13 violent deaths in prisons as of September. Thirty-four percent of women ages 20 to 24 had married when they were 15 to 19, a UN Population Fund study conducted from 2005 to 2019 found. OSAC encourages travelers to use this report to gain baseline knowledge of security conditions in Honduras. Infiltrators: corruption in El Salvador has made safety strides and is not as dangerous as it used be! As of September the Secretariat of Human Rights reported the countrys pretrial detention center held 33 individuals. Her most recent evaluation was in August, and the court declared her fit to stand trial in September. CONAPREV reported every prison had a functioning health clinic with at least one medical professional, but basic medical supplies and medicines were in short supply throughout the prison system. Criminals sometimes obtain personal information through social media, the internet, or a victims family member. 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. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Center estimated there were approximately 247,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) due to violence in the country as of 2020. The law allows persons charged with some felonies to avail themselves of bail and gives prisoners the right of prompt access to family members. The court found that Hernndez suffered harassment by police the night before she was killed, the police and military had effective control of the streets on the night she died, and Honduras conducted no effective investigation into her killing. 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. 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. Vote View Results . Employers rarely paid the minimum wage in the agricultural sector and paid it inconsistently in other sectors. Would you like to continue with this session or log out? As a result, criminals operate with a high degree of impunity. 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. Credible allegations of corruption in the STSS continued. 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. 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. otherwise distributing OSAC-derived information in a manner inconsistent with this policy may result in the discontinuation of OSAC support. Contact OSACsLatin Americateam with any questions or to join. 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. These workshops are part of a multiphase effort to promote transparency, cooperation,. Armed robberies, burglaries, vandalization, home invasions, and extortions occur; closely guarded officials, businesspersons, and diplomats are not immune. In most prisons only inmates who purchased bottled water or had water filters in their cells had access to potable water. 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. Some larger cities have police forces that operate independently of the national police and report to municipal authorities. According to the Inter-American Press Association, 29 journalists were beneficiaries of official protective measures. TAIPEI, March 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- One in four Americans experienced home burglary in 2022, according to the first annual Global Safety and Security Report released by AlfredCamera, a leading . Government officials were somewhat cooperative and responsive to their views, but some human rights organizations criticized government officials for lack of access and responsiveness. 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. Reproductive Rights: There were no reports of coerced abortion or involuntary sterilization on the part of government authorities. Share this via Telegram 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. Estimates of the number of children younger than 18 in the countrys workforce ranged from 370,000 to 510,000. The following day, protesters started a fire outside of one of the U.S. Embassys entrances during demonstrations against public-sector reforms in the country. Persons with HIV and AIDS continued to be targets of discrimination, and they suffered disproportionately from gender-based violence. drivers licenses, vehicle registration). Veterinary Services, Strategy and Policy, Animal Product Import and Export (APIE) 4700 River Road, Unit 40. According to the Honduran Commission for Human Rights (Conadeh), 75 people died in attacks against the public transport service in Honduras between January and July 2019. Reports of kidnappings of U.S. citizens are not common, with zero reports for 2019. By law the STSS may fine companies that violate the right to freedom of association. 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. By law women have equal access to educational opportunities. honduras crime and safety report 2021. 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. 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. Anticorruption efforts remained an area of concern, as did the governments ability to protect justice-sector officials, such as prosecutors and judges. 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. 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.
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