More than half of the population lives in poverty and per capita income is one of the lowest in the region. Improvements: Through August, CONAPREV trained 494 technical, administrative, and security personnel on topics including prison management and human rights. Public-sector trade unionists raised concerns about government interference in trade union activities, including its suspension or ignoring of collective agreements and its dismissals of union members and leaders. Media reports noted that family members often faced long delays or were unable to visit detainees. On July 18, heavily armed men kidnapped five men from their homes in the town of Triunfo de la Cruz. Some judges, however, ruled that such suspects may be released on the condition that they continue to report periodically to authorities. It also provides for paid national holidays and annual leave. The constitution prohibits practicing clergy from running for office or participating in political campaigns. . The STSS may levy a fine against companies that fail to pay social security obligations, but the amount was not sufficient to deter violations. The . Corruption: On March 13, the Supreme Court of Justice ordered a new trial for former first lady Rosa Elena Bonilla de Lobo, spouse of former president Porfirio Lobo, who was convicted in August 2019 of fraud and misappropriation of public funds and sentenced to 58 years in prison. 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. Health-care workers protested the lack of adequate protective equipment and delayed salary payments during the COVID-19 pandemic. As of June the Violence Observatory reported killings of 71 persons younger than 18. Birth Registration: Children derive citizenship by birth in the country, from the citizenship of their parents, or by naturalization. October and February were the deadliest months, with 43 and 38 women murdered on account of their gender, respectively. Abusers caught in the act may be detained for up to 24 hours as a preventive measure. At the local level, only 7 percent of elected mayors were women, but women represented 76 percent of the elected vice mayors. The victims were land-rights defenders from the Afro-descendant Garifuna minority group. Regulations for implementing the law remained under development as of September. Authorities did not generally segregate those with tuberculosis or other infectious diseases from the general prison population; as of September the INP reported 153 prisoners were being treated for tuberculosis. In 2020, 278 women were murdered in the country and, as of November 2021, more than. There were no credible reports of political prisoners or detainees. Add data for Roatan Consider looking into aggregate data we have for Crime in Honduras Crime 0 120 51.16 Crime rates in Roatan, Honduras Safety in Roatan, Honduras Contributors: 7 Last update: October 2022 These data are based on perceptions of visitors of this website in the past 3 years. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2017 was 40.98, a 26.23% decline from 2016. 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. In January 2020, the president announced the dismantling of the Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (Misin de Apoyo Contra la Corrupcin y la Impunidad en Honduras, MACCIH), which was backed by the Organization of American States (OAS). Freedom to Participate in the Political Process, Section 4. Home. The law provides for freedom of peaceful assembly, and the government generally respected this right. The government failed to control pervasive gang-related violence and criminal activity within the prisons. While there were cases where a worker was reinstated, such as the reinstatement of a union leader in Tegucigalpa following his unlawful dismissal, the reinstatement process in the courts was unduly long, lasting from six months to more than five years. Freedom of Speech: The law includes a provision to punish persons who directly or through public media incite discrimination, contempt, repression, or violence against a person, group, or organization for reasons of gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, political opinion or affiliation, marital status, race or national origin, language, nationality, religion, family affiliation, family or economic situation, disability, health, physical appearance, or any other characteristic that would offend the victims human dignity. According to Autonomous University of Honduras Violence Observatory statistics, killings of women decreased under the national curfew in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. DIDADPOL investigated abuses by police forces. Ethnic minority rights leaders, international NGOs, and farmworker organizations continued to claim the government failed to redress actions taken by security forces, government agencies, and 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. Both the ministry and the commission focused on developing policies to address IDPs. Police were investigating the killings. The appeals court ruled the cases of former agriculture minister Jacobo Regalado and three members of his staff should proceed to trial. Both the STSS and the courts may order a company to reinstate workers, but the STSS lacked the means to verify compliance. By law all minors between the ages of 14 and 18 in most industries must receive special permission from the STSS to work, and the STSS must perform a home study to verify that there is an economic need for the child to work and that the child not work outside the country or in hazardous conditions, including in offshore fishing. Introductory offer for new subscribers only. 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. Honduras registered over 120,000 cases of COVID-19 and 3,100 deaths by the end of 2020, according to University of Oxford researchers. Authorities generally respected these rights. In cooperation with the UN Development Program, the government operated consolidated reporting centers in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula where women could report crimes, seek medical and psychological attention, and receive other services. Honduras is somewhat safe to visit, though it has many dangers. As of December 2020, internally displaced people in Honduras represented almost 80 percent of the internally displaced population in Central America and Mexico. Nevertheless, social discrimination against LGBTI persons persisted, as did physical violence. On August 5, an appeals court dismissed charges against 22 defendants indicted in the so-called Pandora case, a 2013 scheme that allegedly funneled 289.4 million lempiras ($12 million) in government agricultural funds to political campaigns. The law states that sexual orientation and gender-identity characteristics merit special protection from discrimination and includes these characteristics in a hate crimes amendment to the penal code. According to the Center for the Investigation and Promotion of Human Rights, on March 24, police arbitrarily detained Evelyn Johana Castillo, sub-coordinator of the Womens Network of Ojojona and member of the National Network of Defenders of Human Rights. The government took steps to address corruption at high levels in government agencies, including arresting and charging members of congress, judges, prosecutors, sitting and former senior officials, mayors and other local authorities, and police officers. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor, c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment, d. Discrimination with Respect to Employment and Occupation. The Guttmacher Institute reported 78 percent of women of reproductive age had their need for family planning satisfied with modern methods in 2019. A specialized anticorruption sentencing tribunal ordered her release from pretrial detention on July 23. LGBTI rights groups asserted that government agencies and private employers engaged in discriminatory hiring practices. Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) Freedom of Press and Media, Including Online Media: Independent media were active and expressed a wide variety of views without restriction. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining, b. The National Interinstitutional Security Force is an interagency command that coordinates the overlapping responsibilities of the national police, military police of public order, National Intelligence Directorate, and Public Ministry during interagency operations. Some larger cities have police forces that operate independently of the national police and report to municipal authorities. During April, the first full month of the curfew, COFADEH reported 11,471 complaints of arbitrary actions by security forces, mainly abusive detentions for curfew violators. Unrelated to the curfew, there were areas where authorities could not assure freedom of movement because of criminal activity and a lack of significant government presence. The law prohibits all of the worst forms of child labor. Violent organized crime continues to disrupt Honduran society and push many people to leave the country. You have questions. 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 Secretariat of Human Rights served as an effective advocate for human rights within the government. Such an order may be effective for up to six days, after which the judge must hold a pretrial hearing to examine whether there is probable cause to continue pretrial detention. The government limited freedom of peaceful assembly under the national curfew imposed in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most child labor occurred in rural areas. A stronger outbreak is expected during the 2021 rainy season (May-November) due to . 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. In all of 2019, the STSS levied fines of more than 38.1 million lempiras ($1.58 million) but collected only 755,000 lempiras ($31,300). No cases were reported during the year. Japan also is a member of the G-7 Counterterrorism and Counter-Crime Rome-Lyon Group. The World Bank reported in 2018 that the adolescent birth rate was 72 births per 1,000 15-19-year-olds. The Public Ministrys Office of the Special Prosecutor for Human Rights handled cases involving charges of human rights abuses by government officials. Source: MY 2020: IHCAFE's Annual Report 2019/2020, MY 2021: IHCAFE Statistical Bulletin 05/04/2021 As of May 4th, 2021 about 4.13 million . The law establishes an independent and impartial judiciary in civil matters, including access to a court to seek damages for human rights violations. In January 2020, the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Honduran government failed to reach an agreement to renew the mandate of the Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in . Now that we've established a frame of reference, here's the scoop on Roatan. Iota weather conditions favored a 15-25% incidence of leaf rust in five departments of Honduras by the end of 2020. Some employers either refused to engage in collective bargaining or made it very difficult to do so. Around 191,000 people were. There is no statutory rape law, but the penalty for rape of a minor younger than 12 is 15 to 20 years in prison, or nine to 13 years in prison if the victim is 13 or older. Poverty rates are higher among rural and indigenous people and in the south, west, and along the eastern border than in the north . These reporting centers were in addition to the 298 government-operated womens officesone in each municipalitythat provided a wide array of services to women, focusing on education, personal finance, health, social and political participation, environmental stewardship, and prevention of gender-based violence. Although the Interinstitutional Security Force reports to the National Security and Defense Council, it plays a coordinating role and did not exercise broad command and control functions over other security forces except during interagency operations involving those forces. It was unclear how many of these threats were related to the victims professions or activism. The director of the national disaster management agency, Gabriel Rubi, was removed from his position in April. The Supreme Court of Justice cited the presence of MACCIH personnel during Public Ministry investigations, including in the execution of search warrants in violation of the law. The HNPs Violent Crimes Task Force investigated crimes against high-profile and particularly vulnerable victims, including journalists as well as judges, human rights activists, and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) community. Powerful special interests, including organized-crime groups, exercised influence on the outcomes of some court proceedings. The Secretariat of Human Rights noted an exponential increase in gender-based violence and domestic violence during the national curfew. The law provides that police may make arrests only with a warrant unless: they make the arrest during the commission of a crime, there is strong suspicion that a person has committed a crime and might otherwise evade criminal prosecution, they catch a person in possession of evidence related to a crime, or a prosecutor has ordered the arrest after obtaining a warrant. Despite the emergency decree, CONAPREV reported that violence in the prison system continued unabated. The law allows persons charged with some felonies to avail themselves of bail and gives prisoners the right of prompt access to family members. The law does not protect domestic workers effectively. The government allocated a budget of nearly 12.6 million lempiras ($526,000) for the continued operation of a protection mechanism that included provision of protection to journalists. Reports of violence related to land conflicts and criminal activity continued. 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. By comparison, the United States has a global safety ranking of 128. ; Children and Adolescents - Honduras has the highest youth homicide rate in the world. In Honduras, the types of danger include, but are not limited to, violent gang activity, trafficking, rape, street crime and armed robbery. According to the arrest report, he "was threatening and abusive, challenging others to fight, and making loud, unusual noises." Additionally, he was charged with "impeding passengers' ability to safely board (an) American Airlines flight." He was taken to the county jail. The law presumes an accused person is innocent. El Salvador used to have a high crime rate, but that is not the case anymore. 4.1.1 The US Congressional Research Service (USCRS) report on Honduras of 20 April 2020 noted that 'The country's current Constitution established a representative democracy with a separation of powers among an executive branch led by the president, a legislative branch consisting of a 128-seat Authorities launched an investigation and made one arrest in connection with the kidnappings in July and five more arrests in September. Honduras' highest judicial body is the Supreme Court of Justice, which includes chambers for constitutional, criminal and civil cases. The government had a nascent system to provide protection to refugees. Below this are an appeals court, first instance trial courts for criminal and civil cases, and municipal and district-level justices of the peace. The Honduran National Police maintain internal security and report to the Secretariat of Security. The quasi-governmental National Committee for the Prevention of Torture, Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment (CONAPREV) received 210 complaints of the use of torture or cruel and inhuman treatment, many related to the enforcement of the national curfew during the COVID-19 pandemic. The emergency decree instituted the Interinstitutional Force as an auditing commission for the penitentiary system. The appeals court would have to rule on the motion before the trial could move forward. Civilian authorities at times did not maintain effective control over security forces. The Violence Observatory reported 55 killings of women from March 15 to June 6, compared with 102 for the same period in 2019. Some Hondurans reported being beaten as they attempted to cross the country. (72 percent of these resulted in a conviction). Coercion in Population Control: There were no reports of coerced abortion or involuntary sterilization on the part of government authorities. DOUGLAS COUNTY The Douglas County Sheriff's Office has released the results of the Click-It or Ticket Enforcement Campaign which took place between Jan. 30 and Feb. 12. Independent Monitoring: The government generally permitted prison visits by independent local and international human rights observers, including the International Committee of the Red Cross. On November 15, 2017, the State of Honduras invited the IACHR to visit Honduras to analyze the human rights situation in the country. Children, including from indigenous and Afro-descendant communities, particularly Miskito boys, were at risk for forced labor in the fishing, mining, construction, and hospitality industries. Authorities arrested Bogran on October 5 and released him on October 8 on bail pending trial. Persons with HIV and AIDS continued to be targets of discrimination, and they suffered disproportionately from gender-based violence. Defendants may receive free assistance from an interpreter. The grand jury subpoena that has been issued to Pence seeks documents and testimony related to the events of January 6, 2021, when the US Capitol was attacked by pro-Trump rioters as Congress . Respect for Civil Liberties, Including: a. Transgender women were particularly vulnerable to employment and education discrimination; many could find employment only as sex workers, increasing their vulnerability to violence and extortion. The web site offers its visitors the latest in safety and security-related information, public announcements, warden messages, travel advisories, significant anniversary dates, terrorist groups profiles, country crime and safety reports, special topic reports, foreign press reports, and much more. Honduras Honduras, long one of the poorest countries in Latin America, is now also among the most violent and crime-ridden. The constitution provides for the freedoms of peaceful assembly and association. The law requires police to inform persons of the grounds for their arrest and bring detainees before a competent judicial authority within 24 hours. TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK : HIGH Public transport is highly risky in Honduras. The government investigated and prosecuted many of these crimes, particularly through the national polices Violent Crimes Task Force. A small number of powerful business magnates with intersecting commercial, political, and family ties owned most of the major news media. Impunity, however, remained a serious problem, with significant delays in some prosecutions and sources alleging corruption in judicial proceedings. The Refugee Commission suspended operations shortly after the onset of the pandemic but began reviewing applications again as of June. Access to Asylum: The law provides for the granting of asylum or refugee status. There were no reports of anti-Semitic acts. Honduras is one of the murder capitals of the world. Impunity for such crimes was a problem, as was the impunity rate for all types of crime. The rate of young people killing other young people is down to two main gangs : Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18. Every 18 hours, a woman is a victim of a violent death. Members of the security forces committed some abuses. CONAPREV reported every prison had a functioning health clinic with at least one medical professional, but basic medical supplies and medicines were in short supply throughout the prison system. As of November the STSS had an insufficient number of inspectors to enforce the law effectively. Honduras is a constitutional, multiparty republic. Censorship or Content Restrictions: Media members and NGOs stated the press self-censored due to fear of retaliation from organized-crime groups or corrupt government officials. The country was a destination for child sex tourism. Honduras 2020 OSAC Crime & Safety Report Since 2010, there have been approximately 60 murders of U.S. citizens reported in Honduras.