The World Justice Projects 2017-2018 Rule of Law Index ranked Honduras as one of the countries with the most corrupt and least effective criminal justice systems in Latin America and the Caribbean. 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. Honduras' 2018 murder rate was not included in OSAC's annual crime and safety report published in April, but a report Guatemala crime rate & statistics for 2018 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. The penalties for rape range from nine to 13 years imprisonment. As of September inspectors conducted 8,846 total inspections, compared with 4,102 total inspections for the same period in 2020. The Honduras Medical Center (HMC) is the primary private hospital that the Embassy uses for emergency response and when hospitalization is required. Campbell, who had been on the run for five years after being charged with money laundering in Honduras, was arrested in June 2021 in Nicaragua. They had limited representation in the national government and consequently little direct input into decisions affecting their lands, cultures, traditions, and the allocation of natural resources. The government provided victims of sexual violence access to other health-care services. There are few U.S.-educated physicians in Tegucigalpa. For more in-depth information, review OSACs. WebOSAC promotes effective cooperation by working to assist the U.S. private sector to better anticipate security issues, including identifying and tracking threats, particularly those targeting private sector personnel, facilities, investments, interests, and intellectual property. The government places specially trained police forces in areas tourists frequent (e.g. As of September the STSS had an insufficient number of inspectors to enforce the law effectively. Responding police fired tear gas in and around the main terminal to regain control after protesters entered the building and airport grounds. The prosecution may request an additional six-month extension, but many detainees remained in pretrial detention much longer, including for more time than the maximum period of incarceration for their alleged crime. Discrimination occurs against ethnic minorities and the LGBTI+ community. 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 law prohibits all forms of forced labor, but the government did not effectively implement or enforce the law. 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. While the risk from crime in Honduras remains a concern, most U.S. citizens visiting or residing in Honduras are unaffected by violence and visit for tourism or humanitarian aid work without incident. While many protests remain relatively peaceful, demonstrations can escalate into violent confrontations with the police resulting in destruction to public and private property. Airlines estimate that approximately 250,000 U.S. citizens flew into Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, or Roatn in 2019. Review OSACs report, If you or someone you know becomes the victim of a crime, contact the local police and U.S. Embassy Tegucigalpa. Review OSACs report, Surviving a Protest. Reflector Series Even when traffic signals are working, drivers often ignore them. Detained U.S. citizens should insist on speaking to U.S. Embassy representatives as soon as possible. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining, b. Roads have poor lighting and markings. 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. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights reported that authorities at times failed to enforce these requirements effectively. However, visitors have reported being robbed while walking on isolated beaches. The San Pedro Sula area has seen armed robberies against tourist vans, minibuses, and cars traveling from the airport to area hotels. Government officials were somewhat cooperative and responsive to their views, but some human rights organizations criticized government officials for lack of access and responsiveness. The municipalities in which kidnappings were reported include: Districto Central (4), Jacaleapa (1), Trojes (1), Siguatepeque (1), Puerto Cortes (1), Lejamani (1), Tocoa (1), Tela (1), and Comayagua (1). Additionally, illegal drugs are for sale in many of the popular tourist areas during the evening hours. Medical care is limited. Contraception supplies continued to be limited. Abusers caught in the act may be detained for up to 24 hours as a preventive measure. Those traveling with tour/missionary groups report fewer criminal incidents. 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. Impunity for such crimes remained high, as was the impunity rate for all types of crime. Download the State Departments Crime Victims Assistance brochure. WebHonduras murder/homicide rate for 2018 was 38.93, a 5.01% decline from 2017. 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. Credible allegations of corruption in the STSS continued. Review OSACs report, Security In Transit: Airplanes, Public Transport, and Overnights. In April 2019, one or more individuals attempted a surreptitious breach of perimeter fencing at a U.S. Embassy residence. Although its specialists occasionally cannot provide the U.S. standard of care, the hospital and diagnostic departments do have the capability to provide most medical procedures. Many of these U.S. citizens are church and humanitarian aid volunteers working throughout the country, including in gang-controlled neighborhoods. Administration: The judicial system is legally responsible for monitoring prison conditions and providing for the rights of prisoners. 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. 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. Cable signal theft and counterfeit products are the most prevalent violations of intellectual property rights in Honduras. The law prohibits police from unionizing (see section 7.a.). Review the State Departments webpage on. 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. 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. The Public Ministry reported seven cases of alleged illegal detention or arbitrary arrest as of September. In security and domestic service sectors, workers were frequently forced to work more than 60 hours per week but paid only for 44 hours. The location and timing of criminal activity are unpredictable. Dial 911 for emergency or call (504) 2232-4092. Violence linked to land disputes also occurs, particularly in the Bay Islands and Bajo Aguan Valley in northern Honduras. 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. The government did not effectively enforce these laws and regulations, although penalties were commensurate with laws related to civil rights, such as election interference. They do not imply recognition of a particular territory's sovereignty or political status. Avoid protests, which can quickly turn violent. U.S. organizations and citizens report corruption in the public sector and the judiciary is a significant constraint to investment in Honduras. 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). 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. Reports of kidnappings of U.S. citizens are not common, with zero reports for 2019. OSAC is directed by a council of 34 representatives from companies and government agencies concerned with overseas security. During 2019, multiple vehicles belonging to U.S. and Honduran employees of the U.S. Embassy were burglarized and/or vandalized on side streets around the Embassy compound. 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. Authorities generally respected these rights. Government Human Rights Bodies: A semiautonomous commissioner for human rights, Blanca Izaguirre, served as an ombudsperson and investigated complaints of human rights abuses. The government lacks resources to investigate and prosecute cases; police often lack vehicles/fuel to respond to calls for assistance. In September police arrested Denis Abel Ordonez, Michael Andre Mejia, and Walter Antonio Matute Raudales in connection with her murder. There were no credible reports of disappearances by or on behalf of government authorities. Children often worked on melon, coffee, okra, and sugarcane plantations as well as in other agricultural production; scavenged at garbage dumps; worked in the forestry and fishing sectors; worked as domestic servants; peddled goods such as fruit; begged; washed cars; hauled goods; and labored in limestone quarrying and lime production. WebOSAC promotes effective cooperation by working to assist the U.S. private sector to better anticipate security issues, including identifying and tracking threats, particularly those targeting private sector personnel, facilities, investments, interests, and intellectual property. It also provides for paid national holidays and annual leave. Mifflintown, PA 17059. Survivors of domestic violence are entitled to certain protective measures, such as removing the abuser from the home and prohibiting the abuser from visiting the victims work or other frequently visited places. Some nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) expressed concern regarding weak implementation of the law and limited resources available to operate the governments protection mechanism. Civil society continued to raise problems with minimum wage violations, highlighting agricultural companies in the south as frequent violators. 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