Trócaire condemns ‘serious assault on human rights’ in Honduras

Hundreds of people have been detained and at least 27 people, including three minors, have been killed by the police and army since the disputed election of November 26 last according to reports published by Trócaire partner organisations ACI Participa, COFADEH and the Coalition against Impunity. There has been a crackdown on human rights in the country since the election, with activists and lawyers being targeted. We have received alarming reports of threats and intimidation against community and social movement leaders because of their involvement in protests.

Twelve of the people to have died in Honduras during the violence: (l to r) Kimberli Dayana Fonseca, Milton Rivera, José David Ramos Lambert Choloma, Héctor Guevara, Erick Javier Montoya, Israel Hernández Varela, Yareth González, Katerine Nicole Bonilla, Julio Alexander Funez Rodríguez, Walter Daniel Lemus Ramíez, David Octovio Quiroz, Jesús de María Sánchez Euceda (Source: COFADEH)

Human rights activists targetted 

This is the most serious assault on human rights we have seen in Honduras over recent years. Millions of Hondurans who aspire to a peaceful, democratic and just society are being silenced and intimidated by the state.

This is a continuation of a worrying trend of human rights activists being targeted in the country. Trócaire works with human rights organisations who are regularly threatened because of their work.

Protests against the lack of transparency in the November election have been met with excessive force by security forces, including the use of lethal weapons.

Ahead of the protest in the run up to the Presidential inauguration, Trócaire calls on the Honduran authorities to respect and protect the right to peaceful assembly, the lives and physical integrity of protestors. 

Trócaire also calls for a thorough investigation of all violent deaths and other cases of excessive use of force in the context of repression of the protests, and to bring to justice those suspected of criminal responsibility.

Hervé Bund is Trócaire’s Country Director in Honduras. Find out more about what Trócaire does in Honduras.