Honduras: Alarming Human Rights Report
Tegucigalpa 24.7.2009 - Since the coup d'état in Honduras, there have been grave and systematic human rights violations. This comes from the report of an international human rights delegation that was presented yesterday in Tegucigalpa. "The curfew and the abolition of fundamental rights, issued by the coup government, led to massive and unlawful infringements against the civilian population," criticized Martin Wolpold-Bosien, who is representing FIAN International in the mission.
The human rights delegation confirmed that at least five people have been killed so far in connection with the coup d’état; among them, a 19 year old demonstrator, Isis Obed Murillo Mencias, a journalist, Gabriel Fino Noriega, the chairman of the opposition democratic union party, Ramon Garcia, and the former trade union leader, Ivan Roger Bados. David Murillo, a well-known environmental activist, minister, and father of Isis Murillo Mencias, was arrested after his testimony and has been detained ever since. According to information from the general director of the national police, 1,275 people have been arrested so far due to violations of the night curfew.
The delegation deplores the noticeably frequent arrests of foreigners, from Nicaragua in particular. Thirteen young people reported mistreatment during detainment. “The regime justifies the arrests with the threat of national security from the outside. However, the people detained are mostly workers and migrants with Honduran relatives,” said Wolpold-Bosien. In addition, the mission objects to the severe limitations on freedom of the press. In Tegucigalpa, the broadcast stations for Canal 36, Radio TV Maya, and Radio Globo were occupied by the army. Several journalists have been arrested, many have received death threats, and telephone and power connections have been cut.
“The international community must end any cooperation with state authorities in Honduras as long as violations of human rights persist,” demands Wolpold-Bosien in the name of the delegation. “Apart from suspending budget support, the European Union should also suspend all other cooperation programmes with state institutions.” Furthermore, the country’s embassies should grant protection to threatened human rights defenders.
In the weeklong human rights mission, fifteen experts from eleven different countries participated. Discussions were held in Tegucigalpa, San Pedra Sula, Olancho and Colón with human rights defenders, representatives of social movements, journalists, congressional representatives, the general state prosecutor, the general director of the national police, a special prosecutor for human rights, the president of the supreme court, relatives of the overthrown president Zelaya and local representatives of the embassies and the United Nations.