Both the secretariat and the commission focused on developing policies to address IDPs. LGBTI+ travelers should exercise caution, especially when expressing affection in public. This is an annual report produced in conjunction with the Regional Security Office at the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa. The law requires an employer to begin collective bargaining once workers establish a union, and it specifies that if more than one union exists at a company, the employer must negotiate with the largest. International observers acknowledged some of these irregularities but reported they were not systematic and not widespread enough to affect the outcome of the presidential election. Contraception supplies continued to be limited. The penalties for rape range from nine to 13 years imprisonment. Following anticorruption protests in 2015, President Hernandez signed an agreement with the Organization of American States to form the Mission Against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (MACCIH). Public-sector trade unionists raised concerns regarding government interference in trade union activities, including its suspension or ignoring of collective agreements and its dismissals of union members and leaders. As of September the Public Ministry had received nine reports of racial or ethnic discrimination. Review OSACs report, Surviving a Protest. honduras crime and safety report 2021. Roads have poor lighting and markings. 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. Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: unlawful or arbitrary killings, including extrajudicial killings; torture and cases of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by government agents ; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary arrest or detention; serious restrictions on free expression and Roatn and the Bay Islands are geographically separate from the mainland and experience lower crime rates even when compared with other Caribbean islands. Kidnappings declined by 82% since 2013, from 92 in 2013 to 14 in 2018, and 12 in 2019. Resolution of disputes in court often takes years. Violence linked to land disputes also occurs, particularly in the Bay Islands and Bajo Aguan Valley in northern Honduras. Gangs are not reluctant to use violence, and specialize in murder-for-hire, carjacking, extortion, and other violent street crime. Most cruise line passengers experience no problems, but there have been reports of associated armed robbery and carjacking. Corruption: The new trial of former first lady Rosa Elena Bonilla de Lobo on charges of fraud and misappropriation of public funds, originally set to commence in March, was twice delayed for medical reasons. Many employers discriminated against women. . Emergency services, even in Tegucigalpa, generally are basic. Only sealed commercial water containers (bottles) are considered safe to drink. Judges face interferenceincluding political pressure, threats, and harassmentfrom the executive branch, private actors with connections to government, and gangs. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Honduras. The STSS may levy a fine against companies that fail to pay social security obligations, but the amount was not sufficient to deter violations. ELITES AND CRIME / 1 NOV 2022 Honduras has freed dozens of individuals tied to organized crime a year after reforming its money laundering law. On October 7, in a special session held during the Francisco Morazan national holiday, the National Congress passed a change to the penal code expanding the definition of encroachment (trespassing) by designating streets and parks as protected spaces and redefining groups of protesters to include as few as two persons. If the STSS grants permission, children between 14 and 16 may work a maximum of four hours a day, and those between 16 and 18 may work up to six hours a day. Meanwhile, 59% reported having been assaulted at least once while a passenger in a taxi (. ) Review the State Departments webpage on security for LGBTI+ travelers. 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. 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. Those planning travel to Gracias a Dios should consider postponing their travel. The U.S. Department of State strongly recommends purchasing international health insurance before traveling internationally. International Child Abductions: The country is a party to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. The law prohibits all forms of forced labor, but the government did not effectively implement or enforce the law. The government did not effectively enforce the law. The Honduran government is modernizing some of the main transportation road networks to four-lane highways, which can lead to increased travel times because of ongoing construction. The law grants prisoners the right to prompt access to a lawyer of their choice and, if indigent, to government-provided counsel, although the public defender mechanism was weak, and authorities did not always abide by these requirements. As a result, criminals operate with a high degree of impunity. 19 ianuarie 2023 Nongovernmental Impact: Some journalists and other members of civil society reported threats from members of organized criminal groups. Find contact information for available medical services and available air ambulance services on the U.S. Embassy/Consulate, Travelers are responsible for ensuring that they have adequate health coverage while in Honduras. Always carry a mobile phone in case of emergency. There were no government restrictions on academic freedom or cultural events. For crimes with minimum sentences of six years imprisonment, the law authorizes pretrial detention of up to two years. EFR CPR/AED; While many protests remain relatively peaceful, demonstrations can escalate into violent confrontations with the police resulting in destruction to public and private property. INCIDENTS. Spurred by anger with the government over accusations of public corruption, allegations of involvement in narcotics trafficking, and efforts to pass controversial education reform, protests and demonstrations were near-daily occurrences at times during 2019. Litigants may sue a criminal defendant for damages if authorized by a criminal court. 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. 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. On July 5, the National Tribunal Court found Roberto David Castillo Mejia guilty for his role as one of the alleged intellectual authors of her murder. In February, the US announced suspension and planned termination of the asylum cooperative agreement signed with Honduras in 2019, whereby Honduras had agreed to receive non-Honduran asylum-seekers transferred from the US. Violent gang activity, such as extortion, violent street crime, rape, and narcotics and human trafficking, is widespread. 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. Powerful special interests, including organized criminal groups, exercised influence on the outcomes of some court proceedings. The San Pedro Sula area has seen armed robberies against tourist vans, minibuses, and cars traveling from the airport to area hotels. They called for implementation of protective measures. 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. Estimates of the number of children younger than 18 in the countrys workforce ranged from 370,000 to 510,000. The law provides for freedom of internal movement, foreign travel, emigration, and repatriation, and the government generally respected these rights. As of August 5, 174 femicides have been committed in Honduras in 2021 according to the Women's Rights Center, a Honduran nongovernmental organization. In 2019, there were 1,500 traffic fatalities throughout the country. The CDC offers additional information on vaccines and health guidance forHonduras. The directorate issued 1,379 recommendations to the Ministry of Security for disciplinary actions as of September following internal investigations of national police members. The law establishes an independent and impartial judiciary in civil matters, including access to a court to seek damages for human rights violations. Review the State Departments webpage on security for, Honduran law requires access to buildings for persons with disabilities; however, there are limited facilities for individuals with disabilities. The law places restrictions on these rights, such as requiring that a recognized trade union represent at least 30 workers, prohibiting foreign nationals from holding union offices, and requiring that union officials work in the same substantive area of the business as the workers they represent. Air pollution can aggravate or lead to respiratory problems during the dry season due to widespread forest fires and agricultural burning. Also see the Department of States Trafficking in Persons Report at https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/. Red Cross ambulance: 911, (504) 2227-7474 or (504) 2227-7575. While hurricane winds are a concern, much of the damage to infrastructure comes as a result of the ensuing flooding and rock/mudslides. 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 Honduras Medical Center (HMC) is the primary private hospital that the Embassy uses for emergency response and when hospitalization is required. Would you like to continue with this session or log out? Received a complaint about honduras crime and safety report 2021 at Pioneer Park with murder November 2017 shorter! For more in-depth information, review OSACs Honduras country page for original OSAC reporting, consular messages, and contact information, some of which may be available only to private-sector representatives with an OSAC password. Many prisons lacked sufficient security personnel. On May 30, protesters blocked several main avenues in Tegucigalpa, including access to Toncontn International Airport (TGU). Transgender persons are prohibited from changing their legal gender status. The Public Ministry is responsible for prosecuting violations. The law requires prisoners to work at least five hours a day, six days a week. Union leaders and labor activists in both the public and private sector face harassment, dismissal, and violence for their activities. Low salaries and a lack of internal controls rendered judicial officials susceptible to bribery. There is street crime even in gated communities commonly referred to locally as. Share this via Email Honduras' national police force is overseen by the Secretary of Security, which had 18,770 agents in 2020 and ambitious plans to reach 26000 by 2022. Hours of Operation: Monday-Thursday, 0730-1630; Friday, 0800-1500, Tel: +504-2236-9320; After Hours: +504-2236-8497, Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/embajadahonduras/, Banco Atlntida Building, 11th Floor, across the street from Central Park, San Pedro Sula, Hours of Operation: Monday-Thursday, 1200-1600, Website: https://hn.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/spsca/. The court ordered Honduras to train security forces to investigate anti-LGBT violence and to adopt a process allowing people to change the gender listed on their documents to match their identity. 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. Passengers on public buses have been the victims of robbery at roadblocks and bus stops, during daytime and nighttime hours. The STSS is responsible for enforcing the national minimum wage, hours of work, and occupational health and safety law, but it did so inconsistently and ineffectively. Reproductive Rights: There were no reports of coerced abortion or involuntary sterilization on the part of government authorities. Counterfeit medicines are available inpulperas (private home-operated convenience stores), but have also been reported inFarmacias del Ahorro. As of September the Secretariat of Human Rights reported the countrys pretrial detention center held 33 individuals. Honduras requires proof of Yellow Fever immunization if coming from another country endemic with Yellow Fever. It named 21 from Honduras, including former President Porfirio Lobo Sosa (2010-2014), who became ineligible for visas and admission to the US. Censorship or Content Restrictions: Media members and NGOs stated the press self-censored due to fear of retaliation from organized criminal groups or corrupt government officials. On June 17, a riot between alleged members of the 18th Street and MS-13 gangs in the maximum-security prison La Tolva in Moroceli, El Paraiso Department, resulted in five dead and 39 injured. Meanwhile, 59% reported having been assaulted at least once while a passenger in a taxi (Colectivo and Rolatero) in the past 12 months, 32% twice, 6% three times, and 3% more than three times. Anti-corruption prosecutors have been left defenseless. , which requires free prior notice and informed consent from indigenous communities before any development projects can begin; the congress has not approved a law regulating this process. As a result, there is no longer free travel between Honduras and Nicaragua. The law provides for freedom of association, and the government generally respected this right. 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. This is an annual report produced in conjunction with the Regional Security Office at the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa. Despite being considered the best private hospital in Tegucigalpa, it is not Joint Commission International (JCI) accredited; JCI is an independent, not-for-profit organization that evaluates and accredits healthcare organizations. There were no credible reports of disappearances by or on behalf of government authorities. The law requires overtime pay, bans excessive compulsory overtime, limits overtime to four hours a day for a maximum workday of 12 hours, and prohibits the practice of requiring workers to complete work quotas before leaving their place of employment. The Cattrachas Lesbian Network reported 17 violent deaths of LGBTQI+ persons as of August. A revision to the penal code that entered into force in June 2020 broadly reduces criminal penalties for corruption by officials. Thefts, break-ins, assaults, rapes, and murders do occur. Women with disabilities are not included in general policies to prevent violence against women. Informal Sector: According to the STSS, approximately 75 percent of workers worked in the informal economy, equivalent to approximately 2.7 million persons. Although the law generally prohibits such actions, a legal exception allows government authorities to enter a private residence to prevent a crime or in case of another emergency. Country Summary: Violent crime, such as homicide, armed robbery, and kidnapping, is common. Many of these U.S. citizens are church and humanitarian aid volunteers working throughout the country, including in gang-controlled neighborhoods. Review OSACs reports, The Overseas Travelers Guide to ATM Skimmers & Fraud and Taking Credit. Due to the lack of enforcement of traffic laws, travelers should make an extraordinary effort to drive defensively. On April 27, the Public Ministry filed an indictment against police officer Jarol Rolando Perdomo Sarmiento for the February 6 murder of Keyla Martinez in La Esperanza, Intibuca Department. In June 2021, the Inter-American Commision on Human Rights (IACHR) estimated a 90 percent rate of impunity for crimes committed against human rights defenders in Honduras. The Directorate of Disciplinary Police Affairs investigated abuses by police forces. Armed robberies, burglaries, vandalization, home invasions, and extortions occur; closely guarded officials, businesspersons, and diplomats are not immune. Civil society continued to raise problems with minimum wage violations, highlighting agricultural companies in the south as frequent violators. Since 2010, there have been approximately 60 murders of U.S. citizens reported in Honduras. The Secretariat of Human Rights served as an effective advocate for human rights within the government. -threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. The government used the pretrial detention center to hold high-profile suspects and those in need of additional security, including police and military officials. As of October 17, 42,357 Hondurans were deported in 2021 to Hondurasmore than the total throughout 2020the government reported. Due to the remote nature of these areas, the governments ability to respond to violence or other problems is often very limited, as is access to medical facilities. In November 2019, Tegucigalpa authorities began developing a luxury housing project in the La Tigra bioreserve, just outside of the city. Journalists; environmental activists; human rights defenders; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals; and people with disabilities are among the groups targeted for violence. The government took some steps to address corruption at high levels in government agencies, including arresting and charging senior officials on COVID-related procurement corruption. The National Human Rights Commission (CONADEH) reported 15 arbitrary or unlawful killings by security forces as of August. Prison conditions were harsh and at times life threatening due to pervasive gang-related violence and the governments failure to control criminal activity within the prisons. Vote View Results . 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. There were allegations that companies used collective pacts, which are collective contracts with nonunionized workers, to prevent unionization and collective bargaining because only one collective contract may exist in each workplace. You are here: crime rate portland vs phoenix / enfin libre saad avis / honduras crime and safety report 2021 January 19, 2023 / in usapho qualifiers 2021 / by According to a report published in June 2020 by the Network Against Anti-Union Violence, 36 trade unionists were murdered between 2009 and 2019. The Covid-19 pandemic has further limited access to education. The law prohibits employment discrimination based on gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, political opinion or affiliation, marital status, race or ethnicity, national origin, language, place of residence, religion, family or economic situation, disability, or health. Assassinations and violence continue under military supervision. The Secretariat of Human Rights reported that as of September 7, the total prison population was 20,768 in 25 prisons and one detention center. However, visitors have reported being robbed while walking on isolated beaches. The constitution prohibits practicing clergy from running for office or participating in political campaigns. 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. La Ceiba, Trujillo) and major hotels; other tourist installations have increased private and police security. However, there can be communal tension over land ownership, natural resource allocation, and exploitation. Persons suspected of any of 21 specific felonies must remain in custody, pending the conclusion of judicial proceedings against them. Review OSACs reports, Road Safety Abroad, Driving Overseas: Best Practices, and Evasive Driving Techniques; and read the State Departments webpage on driving and road safety abroad.