These conditions contributed to an unstable, dangerous environment in the penitentiary system. Credible allegations of corruption in the STSS continued. Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights, Section 6. The Taliban, which regained control of the country in 2021, has pledged to stamp out the opium industry, but it is such a vital part of the country's struggling economy that it will be difficult to eliminate. 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. There were no government restrictions on academic freedom or cultural events. A large chunk of those arrived via cruise ships, however. Honduras, long one of the poorest countries in Latin America, is now also among the most violent and crime-ridden. Performance. Impunity and excessive use of force Keyla Martnez died of asphyxia in February in police custody after being arrested for breaking the curfew imposed to curb the spread of Covid-19. 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. 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. CONTINUOUS ENFORCEMENT OF THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS IN OMORO COUNTY. The government considers rape a crime of public concern, and the state prosecutes rapists even if victims do not press charges. 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 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. There was limited support for persons with mental illnesses or disabilities. Honduras. Also see the Department of Labors Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/resources/reports/child-labor/findings. As of September the Public Ministry had received nine reports of racial or ethnic discrimination. 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. Children's Rights. By law the STSS may fine companies that violate the right to freedom of association. Security Alert: "La Embajada" Bar (12 January, 2023) Message for U.S. Citizens regarding Extension to the State of Exception in Honduras (9 January, 2023) Message for U.S. Citizens regarding State of Exception beginning December 6 (5 December, 2022) Weather Alert for U.S. Citizens - Tropical Storm Lisa (2 November, 2022) The government took some steps to address corruption at high levels in government agencies, including arresting and charging senior officials on COVID-related procurement corruption. Credible observers noted problems in trial procedures, such as a lack of admissible evidence, judicial corruption, witness intimidation, and an ineffective witness protection program. Civilian authorities at times did not maintain effective control over security forces. Prison conditions were harsh and at times life threatening due to pervasive gang-related violence and the governments failure to control criminal activity within the prisons. The law provides for freedom of association, and the government generally respected this right. Wage and Hour Laws: There are 45 categories of monthly minimum wage, based on the industry and the size of a companys workforce; the minimum average was above the poverty line. The Public Ministry reported two such cases in judicial processing and five other cases under investigation as of September. 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 law prohibits illicit association, defined as gatherings by persons bearing arms, explosive devices, or dangerous objects with the purpose of committing a crime, and prescribes prison terms of two to four years and a moderate fine for anyone who convokes or directs an illicit meeting or demonstration. The country has one of the highest homicide rates in the world. The Office of the Inspector General of the Armed Forces and the Humanitarian Law Directorate investigated abuses by the military. Today at the World Economic Forum, Administrator Samantha Power announced the Administration's intent to work with Congress to provide $125 million to support the resilience of Ukraine's energy and utility infrastructure in the face of the Russian Federation's relentless, systematic attacks. As a result, criminals linked to organized crime operate with a high degree of impunity throughout Honduras. Travel on a full tank of gas and stop frequently for fill-ups; keep your tank at least half-filled as you travel. 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. The report showed that property crime was up 6% and violent . Victims were primarily impoverished individuals in both rural and urban areas (see section 7.c.). LGBT people in Honduras are frequently the targets of violence and discrimination, according to Human Rights Watch research. 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. The law establishes prison sentences of up to two and one-half years for child abuse. Two Antioch police officers who were involved in the 2021 death of a San Francisco man in their custody were justified in their actions, according to a report by the Contra Costa County District . Penalties for violations of occupational safety and health law were commensurate with penalties for similar crimes. 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. 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. How to Stay Healthy While Traveling in Honduras. There were credible complaints that police occasionally failed to obtain the required authorization before entering private homes. Some nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) expressed concern regarding weak implementation of the law and limited resources available to operate the governments protection mechanism. The law prohibits night work and overtime for minors younger than 18, but the STSS may grant special permission for minors between the ages of 16 to 18 to work in the evening if such employment does not adversely affect their education. Location: Peru (countrywide) Event: Crime Advisory (February 10, 2022) For over 15 years, the U.S. Department of State has rated Peru at a critically high risk level for crime. The law requires police to inform persons of the grounds for their arrest and bring detainees before a competent judicial authority within 24 hours. Despite incremental progress, government capacities remained relatively nascent and limited. The overwhelming majority of violent crime victims in Belize are Belizeans themselves, but recent years have seen an increase in these types of crimes against tourists and expats. See the Department of States Annual Report on International Parental Child Abduction at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/International-Parental-Child-Abduction/for-providers/legal-reports-and-data/reported-cases.html. Many prisoners had access to weapons and other contraband, inmates attacked other inmates with impunity, and inmates and their associates outside prison threatened prison officials and their families. Plan your next stop before . 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. Children, including from indigenous and Afro-descendant communities, particularly Miskito boys, were at risk for forced labor in the agriculture, manufacturing, fishing, mining, construction, and hospitality industries. Abusers caught in the act may be detained for up to 24 hours as a preventive measure. According to the Global Cybercrime Report, the United States reached the prominent third-best position with a Cyber-Safety Score of 8.73. These sort of crimes can be avoided by dressing down, being careful about where expensive belongings are left, and keeping to safe areas. In 2020, 278 women were murdered in the country and, as of November 2021, more than 240 women have lost their lives violently. Most of the abusers were reported to be male classmates, but there were also reports of sexual abuse by community members. There were no reports of anti-Semitic acts. You can add more than one country or area. 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. As of January 2021, according to UNICEF, several "general public services" in Honduras faced serious disruption, with child support services and services supporting the victims of domestic violence being particularly badly impacted. We have no plans to be walking on a secluded beach at night nor down any dark alleys. As of August it continued to provide protection to 12 journalists, among other types of activists and human rights defenders. You should be aware that tourist hotspots, public transportation and some streets are places where most thefts and pickpocketing occur, and that violent crime exists on the streets, too. Alerts. Corruption along with a lack of investigative resources and judicial delays led to widespread impunity, including in security forces. As of September inspectors conducted 8,846 total inspections, compared with 4,102 total inspections for the same period in 2020. The law prohibits the use of children younger than 18 for exhibitions or performances of a sexual nature or in the production of pornography. Authorities often did not effectively enforce the law. 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. May 24, 2022 Webmaster 1462 Leave a Comment. Perdomo allegedly killed Keyla Martinez after she was detained for violating the countrys COVID-19 curfew. Individuals and organizations may appeal adverse domestic decisions to the Inter-American Human Rights System. Its operations to receive and process cases were reliant on substantial support from UNHCR. Administrative penalties were insufficient to deter violations and were rarely enforced. 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