Pretrial Detention: Judicial inefficiency, corruption, and insufficient resources delayed proceedings in the criminal justice system, and lengthy pretrial detention was a serious problem. The OSAC information exchange mechanism also . Violent transnational criminal organizations are also involved in narcotics trafficking and other illicit commerce. Participation of Women and Members of Minority Groups: No laws limit the participation of women or members of minority groups in the political process, and they did participate. OSAC encourages travelers to use this report to gain baseline knowledge of security conditions in Honduras. The CDC offers additional information on vaccines and health guidance forHonduras. Most demonstrations were concentrated in or around city centers, public buildings, and other public areas. There is no information to suggest that criminals specifically target U.S. citizens or foreigners. Indigenous groups included the Miskito, Tawahka, Pech, Tolupn, Lenca, Maya-Chort, and Nahua. The country does not appear to be a terrorist safe haven. While many protests remain relatively peaceful, demonstrations can escalate into violent confrontations with the police resulting in destruction to public and private property. Before you travel, consider the following resources: The contents of this (U) report in no way represent the policies, views, or attitudes of the United States Department of State, Major cities connect via an inconsistently maintained, two-lane system of paved roads, with many unpaved secondary roads. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings, c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses, Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees, f. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence, a. Thefts, break-ins, assaults, rapes, and murders do occur. Although the law prohibits such practices, government officials received complaints and investigated alleged abuses by members of the security forces on the streets and in detention centers. The center, administered by the National Prison Institute, was on a military installation and received some support services from the military. If you or someone you know becomes the victim of a crime, contact the local police and U.S. Embassy Tegucigalpa. While many protests remain relatively peaceful, demonstrations can escalate into violent confrontations with the police resulting in destruction to public and private property. otherwise distributing OSAC-derived information in a manner inconsistent with this policy may result in the discontinuation of OSAC support. Police may take hours to arrive at the scene of a violent crime or may not respond at all. The law does not criminalize domestic violence but provides penalties of up to 12 years in prison for violence against a family member, depending on the severity of the assault and aggravating circumstances. Medical personnel held nationwide strikes and protests on March 30, April 20-30, May 31, and in certain regions on October 24. Review OSACs report, Kidnapping: The Basics. 19 Nov. 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. In addition, women experienced delays in accessing justice due to police who failed to process complaints in a timely manner or judicial system officials who deferred scheduling hearings. Dial 911 for emergency or call (504) 2232-4092. The National Human Rights Commission (CONADEH) reported two arbitrary or unlawful killings by security forces as of August. Most crime victims are members of rival gangs, small business owners who resist gang extortion, passengers on public transportation, or those involved in land tenure disputes. On May 1, unknown assailants killed Alonso Salgado, a former member of the neighborhood council of the Ro Tinto Garfuna community and a member of the Garfuna rights organization OFRANEH, in Tela, Atlntida Department. Contact OSACsLatin Americateam with any questions or to join. Profile. The Secretariat of Labor posted job opportunity announcements that specified a gender requirement. open sources and (U) embassy reporting. 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. According to a November 2019 study entitled Plan for Sustainable Urban Mobility for the Central District and Comayaguela, 48% of passengers reported having been assaulted one time in the past 12 months while traveling on a, , 31% twice, 11% three times, and 10% more than three times. A study by the National Violence Observatory of the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH) placed the country as the most violent territory in Central America, with a homicide rate of 38.5 per 100,000 inhabitants. Both the secretariat and the commission focused on developing policies to address IDPs. Some passengers opt to travel armed when using public transportation, which sometimes results in armed confrontations where innocent bystanders are injured or killed in the crossfire. The U.S. Department of State strongly recommends purchasing international health insurance before traveling internationally. Individuals and organizations may appeal adverse domestic decisions to the Inter-American Human Rights system. Corruption: On June 10, Marco Bogrn, former director of INVEST-H, the government entity tasked with making COVID-19 pandemic relief contracts with private firms, was found guilty of aggravated fraud and sentenced to more than 10 years in prison and ordered to pay a fine of 1.475 billion lempiras ($58.7 million). gangs are the most active and powerful. Please note that all OSAC products are for internal U.S. private sector security purposes only. The government sometimes applied penalties against violators, but failure to collect fines facilitated continued labor code wage and hour violations. Passengers on public buses have been the victims of robbery at roadblocks and bus stops, during daytime and nighttime hours. PDF Honduras 2018 Crime & Safety Report - WordPress.com