osac crime and safety report honduras 2021mhairi black partner

Since 2010, there have been approximately 60 murders of U.S. citizens reported in Honduras. CONAPREV conducted 138 visits to prisons as of September. Members of the LGBTI+ community have reported violent assaults because of gender identity and sexual orientation. The law entered into force on November 1. HMCs lab was reviewed by the Regional Medical Laboratory Scientist and found to be up to U.S. standards and quality assurance practices. Reflector Series With offices throughout the country, the ombudsperson received cases that otherwise might not have risen to national attention. 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. This is an annual report produced in conjunction with the Regional Security Office at the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa. These deaths included several in San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba involving U.S. citizens murdered shortly after arriving in the country. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, 2021 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, Section 1. As of September the STSS had an insufficient number of inspectors to enforce the law effectively. 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. Overseas Security Advisory Council Penalties for the possession, use, or trafficking of illegal narcotics are strict; convicted offenders can expect lengthy jail sentences and fines. 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. 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 secretariat reported assisting 127 IDPs as of August. Credit card skimming is common. Review OSACs reports, The CDC offers additional information on vaccines and health guidance for, The Honduras Country Council generally meets monthly on a rotating basis in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula and has approximately 70 members. The government lacks resources to investigate and prosecute cases; police often lack vehicles/fuel to respond to calls for assistance. Download the full report here. The National Human Rights Commission (CONADEH) reported 15 arbitrary or unlawful killings by security forces as of August. Bogran was arrested in October 2020 on two corruption charges for embezzling an estimated 1.14 billion lempiras ($47 million) in public funds and funneling a contract for mobile hospitals to his uncle, Napoleon Corrales. Airlines estimate that approximately 250,000 U.S. citizens flew into Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, or Roatn in 2019. Discrimination occurs against ethnic minorities and the LGBTI+ community. Gangs are not reluctant to use violence, and specialize in murder-for-hire, carjacking, extortion, and other violent street crime. Contact OSACsLatin Americateam with any questions or to join. International non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and USAID implementing partners have reported threats and violence when visiting some rural communities. Authorities generally respected these rights. Received a complaint about honduras crime and safety report Bureau of Diplomatic Security However, protesters will also block, key intercity transportation routes and intracity intersections with burning tires, rocks and other debris, to include the roads leading to the international airports in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, and the CA-5 and CA-11 highways. Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights, Section 6. The law requires individuals and companies that employ more than 20 school-age children at their facilities to provide a location for a school. WebWe would like to show you a description here but the site wont allow us. Armed robberies, burglaries, vandalization, home invasions, and extortions occur; closely guarded officials, businesspersons, and diplomats are not immune. For more in-depth information, review OSACs. The police generally treat detained foreigners well. OSAC promotes effective cooperation by working to assist the U.S. The STSS may levy a fine against companies that fail to pay social security obligations, but the amount was not sufficient to deter violations. Gangs control some of the taxi services. Review OSACs reports, The Overseas Travelers Guide to ATM Skimmers & Fraud and Taking Credit. 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. The law permits fines, and while the monetary penalty is commensurate with those for other laws involving denials of civil rights, such as discrimination, the failure of the government to collect the fines facilitated continued labor law violations. U.S. Department of State. Authorities often did not effectively enforce the law. Find contact information for available medical services and available air ambulance services on the U.S. Embassy/Consulate website. Reach the local police anywhere in Honduras by dialing 911. Many activists report that crimes committed against the LGBTI+ community go unpunished. 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. Uniforms and vehicles are all clearly marked. Nicaragua used to be part of the CA-4 agreement, but in late 2017 began requiring travelers to register their travel purpose and destination online seven days in advance. Since 2012, the Honduran government signed agreements with Transparency International, the Construction Sector Transparency Initiative, and the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative. There are claims of widespread corruption in land sales, deed filing, and dispute resolution, including claims against attorneys, real estate companies, judges, and local officials. CONAPREV reported 13 violent deaths in prisons as of September. Last Updated Feb 8, 2020. 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. 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. The STSS has the power to declare a work stoppage illegal, and employers may discipline employees consistent with their internal regulations, including by firing strikers, if the STSS rules that a work stoppage is illegal. The armed forces, which report to the Secretariat of Defense, are responsible for external security but also exercise some domestic security responsibilities in support of the national police and other civilian authorities. Persons from indigenous and Afro-descendant communities continued to experience discrimination in employment, education, housing, and health services. The governments National Policy to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination seeks to promote equality and combat discrimination related to the countrys seven indigenous and two Afro-descendent groups, with a focus on social and political participation; access to education, health care, justice, and employment opportunities; and rights to ancestral lands and natural resources. These tensions have resulted in intense protests and violence. Contraception supplies continued to be limited. Despite incremental progress, government capacities remained relatively nascent and limited. Cruise lines and port agencies offer approved tour companies offering packages. The CA-4 agreement among El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras allows for the inspection-free movement of citizens among these countries, reducing overall inspection at land crossings. 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. The Public Ministry received one report of discrimination based on an individuals disability as of September. 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. WebThree U.S. citizens were reported murdered in Honduras between January and September 2013. 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. Major urban centers and drug trafficking routes experienced the highest rates of violence. Residential LED Lighting. The law prohibits the use of children younger than 18 for exhibitions or performances of a sexual nature or in the production of pornography. 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. Nevertheless, social discrimination against racial and ethnic groups persisted, as did physical violence. 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. 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. Independent Monitoring: The government generally permitted prison visits by independent local and international human rights observers, including the International Committee of the Red Cross. the Copan Mayan ruins and Roatn). Your session will expire soon and log you out. Abuse of Migrants and Refugees: Transiting migrants and asylum seekers with pending cases were vulnerable to abuse and sexual exploitation by criminal organizations. The law prohibits members of the armed forces and police, as well as certain other public employees, from forming labor unions. There was limited support for persons with mental illnesses or disabilities. 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. Indigenous and ethnic minority communities are frequently located in rural areas, which enjoy lower levels of criminal activity. Long periods of pretrial detention remained common and problematic, with many other pretrial detainees held in the general population with convicted prisoners. The law permits defendants to confront witnesses against them and offer witnesses and evidence in their defense. January 19, 2021 The Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science, in partnership with the Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners (AFTE), has View All News and Updates Have feedback for us? Hours of Operation: Monday-Thursday, 0730-1630; Friday, 0800-1500, Tel: +504-2236-9320; After Hours: +504-2236-8497, Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/embajadahonduras/, Banco Atlntida Building, 11th Floor, across the street from Central Park, San Pedro Sula, Hours of Operation: Monday-Thursday, 1200-1600, Website: https://hn.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/spsca/. Some judges, however, ruled that such suspects may be released on the condition that they continue to report periodically to authorities. According to government estimates, children with disabilities attended school at a lower rate than the general population. 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. The law provides for freedom of internal movement, foreign travel, emigration, and repatriation, and the government generally respected these rights. Gangs are not reluctant to use violence, and specialize in murder-for-hire, carjacking, extortion, and other violent street crime. Menu. 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. 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. 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 legal age of consent is 18. The 18th Street and MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha) gangs are the most active and powerful. 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. Menu The law provides that police may make arrests only with a warrant unless they make the arrest during the commission of a crime, there is strong suspicion that a person has committed a crime and might otherwise evade criminal prosecution, or they encounter a person in possession of evidence related to a crime. Last modified on Tue 23 Feb 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. Freedom to Participate in the Political Process, Section 4. There were no credible reports of political prisoners or detainees. The government investigated violence and threats of violence against union leaders. Those traveling with tour/missionary groups report fewer criminal incidents. Reports of kidnappings of U.S. citizens are not common, with zero reports for 2019. The government did not effectively enforce the law. WebHonduras Honduras, long one of the poorest countries in Latin America, is now also among the most violent and crime-ridden. As of August it continued to provide protection to 12 journalists, among other types of activists and human rights defenders. 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. Corruption: The new trial of former first lady Rosa Elena Bonilla de Lobo on charges of fraud and misappropriation of public funds, originally set to commence in March, was twice delayed for medical reasons. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights reported that authorities at times failed to enforce these requirements effectively. Counterfeit products are predominately but not solely in the pharmaceutical and apparel industries. January to December 2019, Secretariat of Security Honduran National Police. 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