In 2013, Honduras reformed the penal code to recognize femicide as a crime. After 37 detainees were killed in a 2019 wave of gang violence, President Juan Orlando Hernndez declared a state of emergencyextended to December 2021and put prisons under military control. 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 law applies equally to citizens and foreigners, regardless of gender, and prescribes a maximum eight-hour shift per day for most workers, a 44-hour workweek, and at least one 24-hour rest period for every six days of work. Of those, 37,114 were deported from Mexico and 4,689 from the US. From January to July, 7,007 accompanied and 676 unaccompanied Honduran children requested asylum. 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. Red Cross ambulance: 911, (504) 2227-7474 or (504) 2227-7575. 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. The Directorate of Disciplinary Police Affairs investigated abuses by police forces. The law requires police to inform persons of the grounds for their arrest and bring detainees before a competent judicial authority within 24 hours. 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. at the date of this reports publication assesses Honduras at Level 3, indicating travelers should reconsider travel due tocrime. The incident allegedly occurred in a place of employment. 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. Some nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) expressed concern regarding weak implementation of the law and limited resources available to operate the governments protection mechanism. As a result, criminals operate with a high degree of impunity. The Supreme Court, particularly its president, exerts excessive control over the appointment and removal of judges, and career instability limits judges independence. Nine significant tropical storms/hurricanes since 1995 have affected Honduras. Veterinary Services, Strategy and Policy, Animal Product Import and Export (APIE) 4700 River Road, Unit 40. 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). 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. The law also sanctions abortion providers. While all formal workers are entitled to social security, there were reports that both public- and private-sector employers failed to pay into the social security system. for original OSAC reporting, consular messages, and contact information, some of which may be available only to private-sector representatives with an OSAC password. 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. 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. There are no known international terrorist groups operating in Honduras. Share this via Printer. The law was not effectively enforced, and weak public institutional structures contributed to the inadequate enforcement. 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. U.S. Department of State. 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. The 18th Street and MS-13 (. ) More than half of the men and two-thirds of the women were in pretrial detention, according to official statistics. Many of these U.S. citizens are church and humanitarian aid volunteers working throughout the country, including in gang-controlled neighborhoods. 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. The law permits defendants to confront witnesses against them and offer witnesses and evidence in their defense. There were no government restrictions on academic freedom or cultural events. Union leaders and labor activists in both the public and private sector face harassment, dismissal, and violence for their activities. Rape and Domestic Violence: The law criminalizes all forms of rape of women or men, including spousal rape. CONAPREV reported 13 violent deaths in prisons as of September. Share this via Email The designation requires banks to impose a higher level of scrutiny on politically exposed persons financial transactions. For information or questions concerning a country's animal disease status and restrictions please contact the APHIS Veterinary Services, Strategy and Policy, Animal Product Import and Export at: USDA-APHIS. Violence linked to land disputes also occurs, particularly in the Bay Islands and Bajo Aguan Valley in northern Honduras. Police may take hours to arrive at the scene of a violent crime or may not respond at all. It also provides key data, such as crime counts. Publishing or Share this via Twitter 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. The law does not permit active members of the military or civilian security forces to vote. The law does not authorize pretrial detention for crimes with a maximum sentence of five years or less. Total "Part 1" crimes violent crimes of homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; and property crimes of burglary, theft and . 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 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. There is street crime even in gated communities commonly referred to locally as. 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. If you or someone you know becomes the victim of a crime, contact the local police and U.S. Embassy Tegucigalpa. 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. 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. The government allocated a budget of nearly 21 million lempiras ($865,000) for the continued operation of a protection mechanism for journalists, human rights defenders, and judicial-sector operators. The Office of the Inspector General of the Armed Forces and the Humanitarian Law Directorate investigated abuses by the military. 2021 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Honduras, An official website of the United States Government, https://www.state.gov/religiousfreedomreport/, https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/International-Parental-Child-Abduction/for-providers/legal-reports-and-data/reported-cases.html, https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/, https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/resources/reports/child-labor/findings. However, visitors have reported being robbed while walking on isolated beaches. Violence was often rooted in a broader context of conflict over land and natural resources, extensive corruption, lack of transparency and community consultation, other criminal activity, and limited state ability to protect the rights of vulnerable communities. For fire and public safety emergencies, dial 911. Its operations to receive and process cases were reliant on substantial support from UNHCR. The Honduras Medical Center (HMC) is the primary private hospital that the Embassy uses for emergency response and when hospitalization is required. Your session will expire soon and log you out. Overcrowding, inadequate nutrition, poor sanitation, beatings, intra-gang violence, and killings are endemic in prisons. Rural communities subject to increased food insecurity due to prolonged drought and extreme weather events are also vulnerable to displacement. International non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and USAID implementing partners have reported threats and violence when visiting some rural communities. There have also been cases of police harassment of patrons in LGBTI+ nightclubs. Animals and people wander onto the roads. The location and timing of criminal activity are unpredictable. The penalties for rape range from nine to 13 years imprisonment. The Jewish community numbered approximately 275 members. 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. The U.S. Department of State strongly recommends purchasing international health insurance before traveling internationally. The law allows the release of other suspects pending formal charges, on the condition that they periodically report to authorities, although management of this reporting mechanism was often weak. Major urban centers and drug trafficking routes experienced the highest rates of violence. 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. EFR CPR/AED; Please note that all OSAC products are for internal U.S. private sector security purposes only. Impunity for such crimes remained high, as was the impunity rate for all types of crime. Driving in Honduras can be dangerous. Seek legal representation before admitting or signing any legal form that acknowledges culpability. 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. 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. Respect for the Integrity of the Person, a. The secretariat reported assisting 127 IDPs as of August. In the 2013 census, approximately 8.5 percent of the population identified themselves as members of indigenous communities, but other estimates were higher. 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.