Honduras: Delegate Marvin Ponce, co-founder of FIAN Honduras, injured by security forces

The delegate, while participating in a mass demonstration against the coup regime was physically attacked by soldiers near the National Congress at 1:30 PM on August 12, and was severely beaten, which resulted in serious injuries including three fractures in the right arm and a fracture in the right leg.

Marvin Ponce is a recognized human rights defender and a political leader in his country, and a delegate for the party of  the Democratic Unification, the only party that consequently has opposed the coup d’état that took place on June 28. Before being elected to the National Congress, Marvin Ponce was a co-founder of the FIAN Honduras section, was president of FIAN Honduras for several years, and Vice-President of FIAN International between 2000-2004.

FIAN International emphatically condemns the attack committed against Delegate  Marvin Ponce, and has asked the Special Prosecutor for Human Rights to investigate the violent acts against the delegate. “The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has enacted precautionary measures for Marvin Ponce, however, he, like almost all the more than 100 people in risk, who should enjoy special protection measures, live in a situation of total  lack of protection,” says Martin Wolpold-Bosien, FIAN International coordinator for Central America.

FIAN demands an immediate investigation of the incident and the punishing of the perpetrators and intellectual authors of this attack. Also, all of the reports about acts of repression committed that day against the demonstrators in Tegucigalpa, that include tens of wounded, hundreds of people arbitrarily detained, and attacks against human rights defenders, should be investigated. In addition, in the night hours after the curfew, a criminal attack was recorded against the offices of La Via Campesina in Tegucigalpa. FIAN International demands an end to the repression, and the full respect of human rights, in particular the right to freedom of expression, the right to demonstrate freely, the right to personal integrity, the right to freedom, and the right to life of all people in the territory of Honduras.

“We hope that the visit of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to Honduras, to take place from August 17-21, contributes to curbing the repression and to the investigating of the violations of human rights committed after the coup d’état on June 28,” says Martin Wolpold-Bosien, who comprised part of the international human rights mission that visited the country from July 17-26.

FIAN agrees with the recent Report on Honduras of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Freedom of Expression, Frank La Rue, and shares the opinion that in this context it is impossible to hold free and democratic elections. “The international community should clearly express their concern about the increasing repression and make clear to the coup regime that it will not recognize the results of the elections without the restoration of the constitutional order,” concludes Wolpold-Bosien.