drivers licenses, vehicle registration). As a result, there is no longer free travel between Honduras and Nicaragua. Civil unrest in Tegucigalpa and other parts of Honduras remains a constant challenge. 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. There have also been cases of police harassment of patrons in LGBTI+ nightclubs. Violence linked to land disputes also occurs, particularly in the Bay Islands and Bajo Aguan Valley in northern Honduras. 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? According to the secretariat, the system was designed for approximately 10,600 inmates. The law provides citizens the right to choose their government in free and fair periodic elections held by secret ballot and based on nearly universal and equal suffrage. The Military Police of Public Order report to military authorities but conduct operations sanctioned by civilian security officials as well as by military leaders. LGBTI+ travelers should exercise caution, especially when expressing affection in public. The San Pedro Sula area has seen armed robberies against tourist vans, minibuses, and cars traveling from the airport to area hotels. Indigenous groups included the Miskito, Tawahka, Pech, Tolupan, Lenca, Maya-Chorti, and Nahua. 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. The 18th Street and MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha) gangs are the most active and powerful. Its operations to receive and process cases were reliant on substantial support from UNHCR. January to December 2019, Secretariat of Security Honduran National Police. Seek legal representation before admitting or signing any legal form that acknowledges culpability. -threat location for political violence directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. 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. Fire Department operations: +504-2231-1667. Cable signal theft and counterfeit products are the most prevalent violations of intellectual property rights in Honduras. 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. Gangs are not reluctant to use violence, and specialize in murder-for-hire, carjacking, extortion, and other violent street crime. Discrimination occurs against ethnic minorities and the LGBTI+ community. 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 law allows only local unions to call strikes, prohibits labor federations and confederations from calling strikes, and requires that a two-thirds majority of both union and nonunion employees at an enterprise approve a strike. The designation requires banks to impose a higher level of scrutiny on politically exposed persons financial transactions. 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 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 also imposes prison sentences of up to two years, eight months for child labor violations that endanger the life or morality of a child age 16 or 17 and up to three years, four months for children younger than 16. The government investigated violence and threats of violence against union leaders. WebYou are here: crime rate portland vs phoenix / enfin libre saad avis / honduras crime and safety report 2021. honduras crime and safety report 2021jefferson parish jail Civil society organizations criticized the governments failure to investigate threats adequately. Those traveling with tour/missionary groups report fewer criminal incidents. You can add more than one country or area. The incident allegedly occurred in a place of employment. Libel/Slander Laws: Citizens, including public officials, may initiate criminal proceedings for libel and slander. Indigenous communities continued to report threats and acts of violence against them and against community and environmental activists. LGBTI+ travelers should exercise caution, especially when expressing affection in public. 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. The government did not effectively enforce the law. The most recent national and local elections were held in November. Women Honduras has the fifth-highest rate of violence against women in the world. 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. Review OSACs report, Security In Transit: Airplanes, Public Transport, and Overnights. The U.S. Embassy strongly discourages intercity car and bus travel after dark. On July 25, media reported individuals shot and killed Liberal Party congressional candidate and former congresswoman Carolina Echeverria Haylock in Tegucigalpa. On April 23, the Public Ministry arrested and charged Josue Exequiel Martinez Martinez, Siriaco Mejia Santos, Francisco Lopez Lazo, and Mario Anibal Lopez Velasquez for the December 2020 murder of Felix Vasquez. As of September the STSS had an insufficient number of inspectors to enforce the law effectively. The law prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention and provides for the right of any person to challenge the lawfulness of his or her arrest or detention in court. Abuse of Migrants and Refugees: Transiting migrants and asylum seekers with pending cases were vulnerable to abuse and sexual exploitation by criminal organizations. Thefts, break-ins, assaults, rapes, and murders do occur. The law permits defendants to confront witnesses against them and offer witnesses and evidence in their defense. Web721 Smith Rd. Media linked her killing to organized criminal groups and drug trafficking organizations. There is also a Human Rights Committee in the National Congress. Diarrheal illness is very common even in large cities and luxury accommodations. Illinois Tech Community, There are no incidents to report for Wednesday, August 4, 2021. The government used the pretrial detention center to hold high-profile suspects and those in need of additional security, including police and military officials. For more in-depth information, review OSACs. 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 different methodologies to measure the size of the informal economy, and a March 2020 UNDP report estimated that 82 percent of workers were part of the informal economy. OSAC has developed into an enormously successful joint venture, with U.S. companies and organizations receiving the Most of these attacks involved gang members demanding extortion payments. The law provides for the right to a fair and public trial; however, the judiciary did not always enforce this right. Some judges, however, ruled that such suspects may be released on the condition that they continue to report periodically to authorities. The Honduras Country Council generally meets monthly on a rotating basis in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula and has approximately 70 members. 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. 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. Who is Vulnerable to Violence in Honduras? The government has an Office for Persons with Disabilities located within the Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion, but its ability to provide services to persons with disabilities was limited. Download the State Departments Crime Victims Assistance, For fire and public safety emergencies, dial. Ethnic minority rights leaders, international NGOs, and farmworker organizations claimed the government failed to redress actions taken by security forces, government agencies, private individuals, and businesses to dislodge farmers and indigenous persons from lands over which they claimed ownership based on land reform law or ancestral land titles. The U.S. Department of States Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) keeps Diplomatic Security Service representatives connected with private-sector Responding police fired tear gas in and around the main terminal to regain control after protesters entered the building and airport grounds. 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. Pretrial Detention: Judicial inefficiency, corruption, and insufficient resources delayed proceedings in the criminal justice system, and lengthy pretrial detention was a serious problem. Media noted that family members often faced long delays or were unable to visit detainees. The law provides for criminal penalties for corruption by officials, but authorities did not implement the law effectively, and officials continued to engage in corrupt practices with impunity. Honduras is a signatory to the International Labor Organizations. Criminals sometimes obtain personal information through social media, the internet, or a victims family member. The STSS may levy a fine against companies that fail to pay social security obligations, but the amount was not sufficient to deter violations. 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. Only sealed commercial water containers (bottles) are considered safe to drink. Webkatherine noelle wyman; cape breton post obituaries 2022. location symbol text in word; list of female jockeys australia; mike conley house columbus ohio address 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. The law prohibits all forms of forced labor, but the government did not effectively implement or enforce the law. 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. In September police arrested Denis Abel Ordonez, Michael Andre Mejia, and Walter Antonio Matute Raudales in connection with her murder. Police seized more than $400,000 in cash during the raid that led to his arrest and that of five other alleged associates. According to a November 2019 study entitled Plan for Sustainable Urban Mobility for the Central District and Comayaguela, 48% of passengers reported having been assaulted one time in the past 12 months while traveling on a Rapidito, 31% twice, 11% three times, and 10% more than three times. 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. Avoid protests, which can quickly turn violent. Menu. Both the STSS and the courts may order a company to reinstate workers, but the STSS lacked the personnel and transportation resources to verify compliance. 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. 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. Review OSACs report, Understanding the Consular Travel Advisory System. Cruise lines and port agencies offer approved tour companies offering packages. Child Abuse: Child abuse remained a serious problem. Local law allows the police to detain someone for up to 24 hours for administrative processing. 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. Many of these U.S. citizens are church and humanitarian aid volunteers working throughout the country, including in gang-controlled neighborhoods. Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, La Ceiba) have homicide rates higher than the national average, as do several Honduran departments (a geographic designation like U.S. States), includingAtlntida, Coln, Corts, San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa, andYoro. According to UNICEF, 34 percent of women and 12 percent of men ages 20 to 24 married before age 18. Two U.S. citizens reported incidents of rape or sexual assault between January and September 2013. Texas Department of Public Safety, Annual Report on Texas Border Crime and Other Criminal Activity, May 30, 2021. Rape and Domestic Violence: The law criminalizes all forms of rape of women or men, including spousal rape. Except in some very rural locations, police are aware of a U.S. citizen detainee's right to contact the Embassy. An independent press and a functioning democratic political system combined to promote freedom of expression, including for members of the media. 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. The law prohibits the use of children younger than 18 for exhibitions or performances of a sexual nature or in the production of pornography. 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. These deaths included several in San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba involving U.S. citizens murdered shortly after arriving in the country. The law presumes an accused person is innocent. Review OSACs report, Understanding the Consular Travel Advisory System, The U.S. Department of State has assessed Tegucigalpa as being a. These conditions contributed to an unstable, dangerous environment in the penitentiary system. Many inspectors asked workers to provide them with transportation so that they could conduct inspections, since the STSS could not pay for travel to worksites. On March 3, unknown assailants killed Martin Pandy, president of the Garifuna community of Corozal, and another community member. 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. Last modified on Tue 23 Feb Inconsistent, retroactive implementation of provisions of the revised code led to logjams in the legal system and impunity for some of the accused. The violence is carried out by local drug 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. honduras crime and safety report 2021. renaissance garden fabric. Penalties for violations of occupational safety and health law were commensurate with penalties for similar crimes. 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. Employers frequently penalized agricultural workers for taking legally authorized days off. Review OSACs reports, There are an estimated 7,000-10,000 gang members in a country with an approximate population of ten million people. 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. As of September the Secretariat of Human Rights reported the countrys pretrial detention center held 33 individuals. There is street crime even in gated communities commonly referred to locally as. The number of inspections increased significantly as the STSS resumed normal inspections, suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There were credible reports that members of the security forces committed some abuses. Informal Sector: According to the STSS, approximately 75 percent of workers worked in the informal economy, equivalent to approximately 2.7 million persons. Violators face penalties of one to three years in prison and possible suspension of their professional licenses, but the government did not effectively enforce the law. As of September the Public Ministry had received nine reports of racial or ethnic discrimination. Those traveling with tour/missionary groups report fewer criminal incidents. WebThree U.S. citizens were reported murdered in Honduras between January and September 2013. Mifflintown, PA 17059. Most demonstrations were concentrated in or around city centers, public buildings, and other public areas. Violent transnational criminal organizations are also involved in narcotics trafficking and other illicit commerce. WebPlease review OSACs Honduras-specific webpage for proprietary analytic reports, Consular Messages, and contact information. Gangs control some of the taxi services. The CDC offers additional information on vaccines and health guidance forHonduras. According to the Peruvian National Police ( PNP ), crime increased 15% in 2021. Honduras lacks the infrastructure to maintain water purity and food safety. 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. Her most recent evaluation was in August, and the court declared her fit to stand trial in September. Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC). 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. 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