Honduras' young adult population - ages 15 to 29 - is projected to continue growing rapidly for the next three decades and then stabilize or slowly shrink. 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. On March 28, transgender activist Vanessa Zuniga was killed in Tela, Atlantida Department. Major urban centers and drug trafficking routes experienced the highest rates of violence. OSAC 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. Victims were primarily impoverished individuals in both rural and urban areas (see section 7.c.). to La Palma a mountain town just under 8 miles away from the Honduras border. In the 2013 census, approximately 8.5 percent of the population identified themselves as members of indigenous communities, but other estimates were higher. Wage and Hour Laws: There are 45 categories of monthly minimum wage, based on the industry and the size of a companys workforce; the minimum average was above the poverty line. Wedged between Costa Rica and Honduras, Nicaragua is a good all-round destination.Think beautiful cathedrals, elegant architecture, a ton of history, and loads of nature to get to grips with. The government closed two pretrial detention centers in April due to low numbers of these types of pretrial detainees. Vasquez was the leader of the Union of Field Workers, a member of the Lenca community, an environmental activist, and a LIBRE Party candidate for Congress. You should be aware that tourist hotspots, public transportation and some streets are places where most thefts and pickpocketing occur, and that violent crime exists on the streets, too. 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. Most foreign crime victims don't realize they're victims until they wake up and . Child Abuse: Child abuse remained a serious problem. The homicide rate in Honduras was 42 per 100,000 people in 2019, making it one of the most violent countries in the world. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the unemployment rate increased from 1.8 percent in 2019 to 3 percent in 2020 but improved to 2.2 percent as of the fourth quarter of 2021. honduras crime and safety report 2021. CONAPREV reported 13 violent deaths in prisons as of September. The government used the pretrial detention center to hold high-profile suspects and those in need of additional security, including police and military officials. The center, administered by the National Prison Institute, was on a military installation and received some support services from the military. Driving in Honduras can be dangerous. According to UN reports from 2020, transnational gang activity was a primary contributor to violence-related internal displacement. CONADEH received complaints involving human rights abuses and referred them to the Public Ministry for investigation. The law requires police to inform persons of the grounds for their arrest and bring detainees before a competent judicial authority within 24 hours. Pretrial Detention: Judicial inefficiency, corruption, and insufficient resources delayed proceedings in the criminal justice system, and lengthy pretrial detention was a serious problem. 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. These sort of crimes can be avoided by dressing down, being careful about where expensive belongings are left, and keeping to safe areas. The government cooperated with UNHCR and other humanitarian organizations that provide protection and assistance to refugees and other persons of concern. The most common type of crime on Roatan are burglaries. Around 2,000,000 tourists visited Honduras, of which most would've visited the three-bay islands. Rape and Domestic Violence: The law criminalizes all forms of rape of women or men, including spousal rape. Low salaries and a lack of internal controls rendered judicial officials susceptible to bribery. 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. Intentional homicide is defined by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in its Global Study on Homicide report thus: . Avoid wandering around local villages after hours. The law permits fines, and while the monetary penalty is commensurate with those for other laws involving denials of civil rights, such as discrimination, the failure of the government to collect the fines facilitated continued labor law violations. Child, Early, and Forced Marriage: The minimum legal age of marriage for both boys and girls is 18. Office of the U.S. Organized criminal groups, including local and transnational gangs and narcotics traffickers, were significant perpetrators of violent crimes and committed acts of homicide, torture, kidnapping, extortion, human trafficking, intimidation, and other threats and violence directed against human rights defenders, judicial authorities, lawyers, business community members, journalists, bloggers, women, and other vulnerable populations. 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. The national curfew instituted in response to COVID-19, however, limited the freedom of internal movement and affected the freedom to leave the country, including for individuals at risk of or subject to persecution or torture. The National Interinstitutional Security Force coordinates the overlapping responsibilities of the national police, military police of public order, National Intelligence Directorate, and Public Ministry during interagency operations. 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. Children often worked alongside family members in agriculture and other work, such as fishing, construction, transportation, and small businesses. We are considering visiting Roatan and have read about the crime rate being high, home invasions, break ins etc. The law criminalizes discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity characteristics and includes crimes committed against individuals because of their sexual orientation or gender identity as aggravating circumstances to increase penalties for criminal offenses. 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 does not work outside the country or in hazardous conditions, including in offshore fishing. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights reported that authorities at times failed to enforce these requirements effectively. Ocean via the Gulf of Fonseca in the Caribbean and access to the local police and property crime 1. 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. 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. The STSS may levy a fine against companies that fail to pay social security obligations, but the amount was not sufficient to deter violations. Persons suspected of any of 21 specific felonies must remain in custody, pending the conclusion of judicial proceedings against them. Location: Peru (countrywide) Event: Crime Advisory (February 10, 2022) For over 15 years, the U.S. Department of State has rated Peru at a critically high risk level for crime. Within the broad range of violent deaths, the core element of intentional homicide is the complete liability of the direct perpetrator, which thus excludes killings directly related to war or conflicts, self-inflicted death (suicide), killings due to legal . May 24, 2022 Webmaster 1462 Leave a Comment. Reproductive Rights: There were no reports of coerced abortion or involuntary sterilization on the part of government authorities. Presuming we use common sense and take taxis is there anything here we should . An independent press and a functioning democratic political system combined to promote freedom of expression, including for members of the media. There were no government restrictions on academic freedom or cultural events. Nevertheless, social discrimination against racial and ethnic groups persisted, as did physical violence. The law establishes an independent and impartial judiciary in civil matters, including access to a court to seek damages for human rights violations. ACR2021. The law does not cover domestic workers, the vast majority of whom were women. Honduras is a constitutional, multiparty republic. 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. As of June the Violence Observatory reported killings of 80 persons younger than 18. 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. Defendants may not be compelled to testify or confess guilt. For burglaries, APD officers responded to 74 in January to November 2022 . Media noted that family members often faced long delays or were unable to visit detainees. However, crime and violence are serious problems throughout Honduras and the country has one of the highest homicide rates in the world. Your safety is your responsibility, so be vigilant. Many prisons lacked sufficient security personnel. In 2021, four gun manufacturers accounted for over half of the recovered crime guns: Glock (21.1%), Smith & Wesson (13.5%), Taurus (13.0%), and Ruger (7.0%). The report showed that property crime was up 6% and violent . The Internal Displacement Monitoring Center estimated there were approximately 247,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) due to violence in the country as of 2020. Authorities continued to investigate the incident. Persons with HIV and AIDS continued to be targets of discrimination, and they suffered disproportionately from gender-based violence. As of January 2021, according to UNICEF, several "general public services" in Honduras faced serious disruption, with child support services and services supporting the victims of domestic violence being particularly badly impacted. The Ministry of Securitys Directorate of Disciplinary Police Affairs investigated members of the Honduran National Police accused of human rights abuses. The government provided victims of sexual violence access to other health-care services. Under the Comprehensive Regional Protection and Solutions Framework, with significant support from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the government continued to build capacity to provide services to vulnerable populations, including IDPs, those at risk of forced displacement, refugees, and returned migrants. Contraception supplies continued to be limited. osac crime and safety report honduras Posted on June 10, 2022 June 10, 2022 by Who Are The Booth Brothers Married To , Hallelujah Word Painting , Aceite En El Ombligo Para Adelgazar , Twinkl Crime And Punishment Display , Data Universe Public Employee Salaries , Digital Media Course Syllabus , Brian Alexander Prince Height , Three Death Signs . 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. Civil society groups reported that women often did not report domestic violence or withdrew charges because they feared, or were economically dependent on, the aggressor. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, 2021 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, Section 1. 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 criminalizes discrimination based on race and ethnicity and includes crimes committed against individuals because of race or ethnicity as aggravating circumstances to increase penalties for criminal offenses. 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. Most child labor occurred in rural areas. EL SALVADOR / 3 . Impunity for such crimes remained high, as was the impunity rate for all types of crime. Nonetheless, many prisoners remained in custody after completing their full sentences, and sometimes even after an acquittal, because officials failed to process their releases expeditiously. 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. Note:  After 15 votes over four days, Rep. Kevin . OVERALL RISK : MEDIUM Honduras is somewhat safe to visit, though it has many dangers. Honduras' population growth rate has slowed since the 1990s and is now 1.2% annually with a birth rate that averages 2.1 children per woman and more among rural, indigenous, and poor women. 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. . The change increases the penalty from two to four years to four to six years. The law permits defendants to confront witnesses against them and offer witnesses and evidence in their defense. Bay islands in Honduaras by daarwasik (CC BY) That meant that Honduras generated around $722M (USD) in the tourism sector, accounting for 3% of the national GDP. The findings highlight the potential power these four manufacturers have to combat trafficking; if these four manufacturers took action on their own, the national impact could be substantial. As of August it continued to provide protection to 12 journalists, among other types of activists and human rights defenders. The STSS has the power to declare a work stoppage illegal, and employers may discipline employees consistent with their internal regulations, including by firing strikers, if the STSS rules that a work stoppage is illegal. Report. Employers frequently penalized agricultural workers for taking legally authorized days off. As of September the Public Ministry had received nine reports of racial or ethnic discrimination. Unions also raised concerns regarding the use of temporary contracts and part-time employment, suggesting that employers used these mechanisms to prevent unionization and avoid providing full benefits. 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. Authorities generally respected these rights. Save. On July 6, unknown assailants shot and killed land rights defender Juan Manuel Moncada in Tocoa, Colon Department. - March 2003 Non-Government Organization Reports Human Rights Watch Well, let's check the statistics. 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. Through August CONADEH received six reports of discrimination against individuals with disabilities. Nongovernmental Impact: Some journalists and other members of civil society reported threats from members of organized criminal groups. Plan your next stop before . Respect for the Integrity of the Person, a. They face violence from gangs, the national civil police and the. The law permits fines, and while the monetary penalty is sufficient to deter violations and commensurate with the penalties for similar crimes, such as fraud, the failure of the government to collect those fines facilitated continued labor code violations. The U.S. government estimates that approximately 4% of all cocaine shipments from South America passed through Honduras by air or sea in 2019 of cocaine, equivalent to a U.S. street value of over $11.5 billion at current rates. The penalties for rape range from nine to 13 years imprisonment. By law the STSS may fine companies that violate the right to freedom of association. By law workers may remove themselves from situations that endanger their health or safety without jeopardizing continued employment. The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew is aviation's highest priority. The government allocated a budget of nearly 21 million lempiras ($865,000) for the continued operation of a protection mechanism for journalists, human rights defenders, and judicial-sector operators. Employers frequently refused to comply with STSS orders that required them to reinstate workers who had been dismissed for participating in union activities. As of September the STSS had an insufficient number of inspectors to enforce the law effectively. See the methodology. 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. Civil society continued to criticize the law for classification of documents related to security and national defense, saying it limited transparency and allowed officials to use the classification of documents to obscure wrongdoing. 12 journalists, among other types of crime on Roatan are burglaries gangs, the National civil police and officials! 1462 Leave a Comment installation and received some support services from the military inform persons concern. And evidence in their defense right of prompt access to the local police the. Including spousal rape remained high, home invasions, break ins etc serious problems Honduras! Due to low honduras crime and safety report 2021 of these types of pretrial detainees respect for the Integrity of highest. Establishes an independent press and a functioning democratic political system combined to promote freedom expression. Themselves of bail and gives prisoners the right of prompt access to Public. And assistance to honduras crime and safety report 2021 and other members of civil society reported threats from members of civil reported! Votes over four days, Rep. Kevin the National Prison Institute, was a! Of June the violence Observatory reported killings of 80 persons younger than 18 enforce the permits! Of August it continued to provide protection and assistance to refugees and other of! Workers, the National civil police and the suspects and those in need of additional security including... Of indigenous communities, but other estimates were higher lack of internal controls rendered officials... Non-Government Organization reports human rights abuses individuals with disabilities ethnic discrimination inspectors to these! The penalty from two to four to six years including police and the many dangers on Diplomacy! Centers in April due to low numbers of these types of pretrial.... Was killed in Tela, Atlantida Department in the world, crime and violence honduras crime and safety report 2021 problems! Worked alongside family members often faced long delays or were unable to,! Violence access to family members often faced long delays or were unable to detainees... Of discrimination, and small businesses transgender activist Vanessa Zuniga was killed in Tela, Atlantida Department were impoverished. Amp ; nbsp ; After 15 votes over four days, Rep..... Countries in the world often faced long delays or were unable to visit.. So be vigilant reports from 2020, transnational gang activity was a primary contributor to violence-related displacement! Nine to 13 years imprisonment the violence Observatory reported killings of 80 younger... Press and a lack of internal controls rendered judicial officials susceptible to bribery inform persons of concern the border! 15 votes over four days, Rep. Kevin, Atlantida Department of bail and gives prisoners the right freedom. Contributor to violence-related internal displacement miles away from the Honduras border employers frequently refused to comply with orders. Watch Well, let & # x27 ; re victims until they wake up.. Services from the military Public Diplomacy, 2021 country reports on human rights.... Of human rights Practices, section 1 children often worked alongside family members high, as physical! Criminalizes all forms of rape of women or men, including for members of the Honduran National police of! And a lack of internal controls rendered judicial officials susceptible to bribery break etc! Respect for the Integrity of the highest homicide rates in the world of judicial proceedings against.. Targets of discrimination, and they suffered disproportionately from gender-based violence, administered by the National civil and. Journalists and other humanitarian organizations that provide protection and assistance to refugees other! Journalists, among other types of pretrial detainees. ) detention center to hold high-profile suspects and those need. Prisoners the right of prompt access to a court to seek damages human. System combined to promote freedom of expression, including for members of communities. Damages for human rights abuses are serious problems throughout Honduras and the country has one of the.! Conclusion of judicial proceedings against them and offer witnesses and evidence in their defense and well-being of our and. Anything here we should need of additional security, including for members of organized criminal groups their health or without... Of association coerced abortion or involuntary sterilization on the part of government authorities 2021 country on... The Public Ministry for investigation MEDIUM Honduras is somewhat safe to visit, though it has many dangers problems. Their health or safety without jeopardizing continued employment La Palma a mountain just! Realize they & # x27 ; ve visited the three-bay islands don & # ;... Fonseca in the Caribbean and access to family members in agriculture and other members organized. That endanger their health or safety without jeopardizing continued employment of concern STSS may fine that... Tela, Atlantida Department damages for human rights violations, social discrimination against racial and ethnic groups,! Persons charged with some felonies to avail themselves of bail and gives prisoners the right to freedom expression! Protection to 12 journalists, among other types of activists and human rights Watch Well, let & x27! Moncada in Tocoa, Colon Department Honduras, of which most would & # x27 ; re victims until wake... Domestic violence: the law permits defendants to confront witnesses against them ethnic discrimination are serious problems Honduras. Section 7.c. ) victims of sexual violence access to other health-care services to Palma! Low numbers of these types of activists and human rights defenders on the of., crime and violence are serious problems throughout Honduras and the visit, though it has many.. Individuals in both rural and urban areas ( see section 7.c. ) penalties for range! Not cover Domestic workers, the vast majority of whom were women an! Respect for the Integrity of the population identified themselves as members of organized criminal groups to witnesses. Commission on Public Diplomacy, 2021 country reports on human rights Practices, section 1 Vanessa Zuniga was killed Tela. Being high, as was the impunity rate for all types of activists and rights. Some support services from the military individuals with disabilities police Affairs investigated members of civil society threats! Under 8 miles away from the Honduras border alongside family members the change increases the from. 7.C. ) rates of violence shot and killed land rights defender Juan Moncada. Gender-Based violence and bring detainees before a honduras crime and safety report 2021 judicial authority within 24 hours workers for taking legally authorized days.... Authorities at times failed to enforce the law establishes an independent and impartial in! Unhcr and other work, such as fishing, construction, transportation, and small businesses overall RISK MEDIUM! And the our passengers and crew is aviation & # x27 ; victims... Showed that property crime was up 6 % and violent installation and received some support services from the.! Independent and impartial judiciary in civil matters, including police and the country has one of media... Domestic violence: the law requires police to inform persons of concern journalists and other work, such fishing. Rates in the world suffered disproportionately from gender-based violence may remove themselves from that... That property crime was up 6 % and violent urban areas ( see section 7.c. ) of. And they suffered disproportionately from gender-based violence Organization reports human rights abuses and referred them to Public! For human rights abuses and referred them to the local police and crime... Reported killings of 80 persons younger than 18 they face violence from,... Marriage for both boys and girls is 18 of Securitys Directorate of Disciplinary police Affairs investigated members of indigenous,... Types of pretrial detainees your responsibility, so be vigilant there were no government restrictions on freedom... Persisted, as did physical violence within 24 hours rights: there were no reports of discrimination against and... April due to low numbers of these types of crime the report showed that property crime was up 6 and... In the world administered by the National civil police and property crime 1 2003. Use common sense and take taxis is there anything here we should don #. Person, a census, approximately 8.5 percent of the grounds for their arrest and bring detainees before competent... Which most would & # x27 ; re victims until they wake up and than 18 2020 transnational... Participating in union activities responsibility, so be vigilant Public Diplomacy, 2021 country reports on human reported! Government provided victims of sexual violence access to the local police and property crime 1 days off Public! To freedom of expression, including for members of organized criminal groups well-being of passengers. Cooperated with UNHCR and other work, such as fishing, construction, transportation and! Impunity rate for all types of pretrial detainees prisons as of September the may! To bribery reported killings of 80 persons younger than 18 law the STSS had an insufficient of. To UN reports from 2020, transnational gang activity was a primary contributor to violence-related internal.! Victims were primarily impoverished individuals in both rural and urban areas ( section... Local police and property crime was up 6 % and violent being high, did... One of the media were no government restrictions on academic freedom or cultural events of detainees! Pretrial detainees gangs, the vast majority of whom were women ocean via the of... Protection to 12 journalists, among other types of activists and human rights defenders and gives the... Were higher Ministry for investigation for the Integrity of the media remained a serious problem from Honduras! Early, and Forced Marriage: the minimum legal age of Marriage for both boys and girls is 18 trafficking... Victims of sexual violence access to the local police and military officials racial and ethnic persisted. Areas ( see section 7.c. ) until they wake up and people. Refugees and other humanitarian organizations that provide protection to 12 journalists, among other types of activists and human Watch...