La Ceiba, Trujillo) and major hotels; other tourist installations have increased private and police security. Honduras Crime Rate & Statistics 1990-2023 | MacroTrends 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. Violent transnational criminal organizations are also involved in narcotics trafficking and other illicit commerce. Detained U.S. citizens should insist on speaking to U.S. Embassy representatives as soon as possible. A revision to the penal code that entered into force in June 2020 broadly reduces criminal penalties for corruption by officials. While many protests remain relatively peaceful, demonstrations can escalate into violent confrontations with the police resulting in destruction to public and private property. Always carry a mobile phone in case of emergency. The police, along with the Ministry of Defenses Military Public Order Police (PMOP), routinely establish checkpoints and review documentation (e.g. Honduras Humanitarian Needs Overview 2023 (September 2022) In 2013, Honduras reformed the penal code to recognize femicide as a crime. Penalties for the possession, use, or trafficking of illegal narcotics are strict; convicted offenders can expect lengthy jail sentences and fines. They called for implementation of protective measures. The STSS may levy a fine against companies that fail to pay social security obligations, but the amount was not sufficient to deter violations. 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. About Us; Staff; Camps; Scuba. Download the State Departments Crime Victims Assistance, For fire and public safety emergencies, dial. This figure is projected to rise by 0.5 million by June 2023. Rochester Police Department shares 2022 annual report Nevertheless, social discrimination against LGBTQI+ persons persisted, as did physical violence. Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) Advanced Training. 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. Counterfeit products are predominately but not solely in the pharmaceutical and apparel industries. Supporters of Honduran environmental and Indigenous rights activist, Berta Cceres, hold signs with her name and likeness during the trial of Roberto David Castillo, who was charged with her murder, outside of the Supreme Court building in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on April 6, 2021. Cruise ship industry contacts report that approximately one million U.S. citizens enter the country by ship every year, primarily in Roatn, but also in La Ceiba on the northern coast. The security situation is expected to continue to deteriorate in 2020 and 2021. Additionally, illegal drugs are for sale in many of the popular tourist areas during the evening hours. He was arrested again in April for separate but related charges. According to the Honduran National Police, there were 12 kidnappings reported nationwide during 2019. Some of the worst forms of child labor occurred, including commercial sexual exploitation of children, and NGOs reported that gangs often forced children to commit crimes (see section 6, Children). Counterfeit products are predominately but not solely in the pharmaceutical and apparel industries. Those traveling with tour/missionary groups report fewer criminal incidents. Honduras requires proof of Yellow Fever immunization if coming from another country endemic with Yellow Fever. honduras crime and safety report 2021. Honduras Crime. Safety and crime information on Honduras 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. 19 ianuarie 2023 Do not travel to Gracias a Dios Department due to crime. The National Police is responsible for avoiding and investigating crimes in Honduras, and consists of the National Preventive Police and different special units focused on anti-gang and anti . Individuals and organizations may appeal adverse domestic decisions to the Inter-American Human Rights System. The Public Ministry also has the Special Prosecutors Office for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, Journalists, Social Communicators, and Justice Officials. Due to the lack of enforcement of traffic laws, travelers should make an extraordinary effort to drive defensively. This resulted in multiple protests by environmentalist groups claiming the project is illegal due to the damage to the bioreserve and exacerbating the citys already dire water shortage. Responding police fired tear gas in and around the main terminal to regain control after protesters entered the building and airport grounds. honduras crime and safety report 2021mary calderon quintanilla 27 februari, 2023 / i list of funerals at luton crematorium / av / i list of funerals at luton crematorium / av In 2020, hurricanes Eta and Iota forced more than 55,000 to move into temporary shelters, according to the Red Cross. 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. Discrimination and Societal Abuses, Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination, Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, a. Review OSACs reports, There are an estimated 7,000-10,000 gang members in a country with an approximate population of ten million people. Coca Growing, Cocaine Production Reach New Heights in Honduras. Abuse of Migrants and Refugees: Transiting migrants and asylum seekers with pending cases were vulnerable to abuse and sexual exploitation by criminal organizations. The U.S. Department of State has assessed Tegucigalpa as being a MEDIUM-threat location for political violence directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. The 18th Street and MS-13 (. ) 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. Regulations for implementing the law remained under development as of November. Estimates of the number of children younger than 18 in the countrys workforce ranged from 370,000 to 510,000. The law prohibits the sale, distribution, and use of emergency contraception for any reason, including for survivors of sexual violence. In April 2019, one or more individuals attempted a surreptitious breach of perimeter fencing at a U.S. Embassy residence. osac crime and safety report honduras Posted on July 8, 2021by Published by at June 7, 2022. Displaced Children: Civil society organizations reported that common causes of forced displacement for youth included death threats for failure to pay extortion, attempted recruitment by gangs, witnessing criminal activity by gangs or organized criminal groups, domestic violence, attempted kidnappings, family members involvement in drug dealing, victimization by traffickers, rape including commercial sexual exploitation by gangs, discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, sexual harassment, and discrimination for having a chronic medical condition. It stipulates that a prosecutor has 24 additional hours to decide if there is probable cause for indictment, whereupon a judge has 24 more hours to decide whether to issue a temporary detention order. Indigenous and ethnic minority communities are frequently located in rural areas, which enjoy lower levels of criminal activity. Cable signal theft and counterfeit products are the most prevalent violations of intellectual property rights in Honduras. However, there can be communal tension over land ownership, natural resource allocation, and exploitation. Gracias a Diosis a remote location where narcotics trafficking is frequent, infrastructure is weak, government services are limited, and police/military presence is scarce. Although 74 percent of births were attended by skilled health care personnel, NGOs reported significant gaps in obstetric care, especially in rural areas. The following diseases are prevalent in Honduras: Chikungunya, Dengue Fever, Malaria, and Zika. The Embassy cannot secure the release or act as legal representation for any U.S. citizen. By law the STSS may fine companies that violate the right to freedom of association. Reproductive Rights: There were no reports of coerced abortion or involuntary sterilization on the part of government authorities. Uniforms and vehicles are all clearly marked. Call Us : 0353 - 2574030 | nina auchincloss straight. Honduras - Organized Crime News - InSight Crime For fire and public safety emergencies, dial 911. Prosecutors and whistleblowers have received death threats. Historically, governments have responded to organized crime with iron-fist security strategies. Her retrial was scheduled for February 2022. Violence linked to land disputes also occurs, particularly in the Bay Islands and Bajo Aguan Valley in northern Honduras. There have been multiple incidents of gang members destroying city buses and taxis, and reports that gang members rob, assault, rape, kidnap, or murder passengers. the Copan Mayan ruins and Roatn). The U.S. Embassy estimates at least 30,000 U.S. citizens reside in Honduras. On October 7, the National Congress increased penalties for forced labor under the trafficking-in-persons article of the penal code from five to eight years imprisonment to 10 to 15 years, bringing the penalties in line with the penalties for other analogous serious crimes, such as kidnapping. Some would-be muggers and gang members keep to a daily schedule, riding city buses from one stop to the next, committing criminal acts with impunity along the way. The prosecution may request an additional six-month extension, but many detainees remained in pretrial detention much longer, including for more time than the maximum period of incarceration for their alleged crime. The STSS did not approve any authorizations through September. Would you like to continue with this session or log out? Also see the Department of Labors Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/resources/reports/child-labor/findings. In 2019, there were 1,500 traffic fatalities throughout the country. The governments National Policy to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination seeks to promote equality and combat discrimination related to the countrys seven indigenous and two Afro-descendent groups, with a focus on social and political participation; access to education, health care, justice, and employment opportunities; and rights to ancestral lands and natural resources. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor, c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment, d. Discrimination with Respect to Employment and Occupation. 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. 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. In 2019, there was one murder case involving a resident U.S. citizen in Roatn. Except in some very rural locations, police are aware of a U.S. citizen detainee's right to contact the Embassy. Country Summary: Violent crime, such as homicide, armed robbery, and kidnapping, is common. The ambulance does not have paramedics or emergency medical equipment; it functions solely as transport to hospitals. The STSS completed 29 child labor inspections as of September and identified 13 minors working without permission. While there are no areas in major urban cities free of violent crime, notably dangerous locations in Tegucigalpa include the areas surrounding Suyapa Cathedral, downtown Comayagela, downtown Tegucigalpa, and neighborhoods in the outskirts of the city that are generally controlled by gangs. There were reports of violence related to land conflicts and criminal activity. Defendants may not be compelled to testify or confess guilt. The law does not permit active members of the military or civilian security forces to vote. 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. Military Arsenals Provide Convenient Source of Weapons for Latin American Gangs ARMS TRAFFICKING / 4 OCT 2022 honduras crime and safety report 2021. Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, La Ceiba) have homicide rates higher than the national average, as do several Honduran departments (a geographic designation like U.S. States), includingAtlntida, Coln, Corts, San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa, andYoro. ; these are generally safer areas in which to reside because of their heightened security measures. Several UN special rapporteurs and the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances warned, in April, of growing numbers of migrants from Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador who have disappeared in Mexico, including 741 Hondurans from March through August 2019. 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. In February, journalist Henry Fiallos and his family received anonymous death threats after he covered a femicide in which police officers were implicated. Girls and adolescents younger than 19 carry 15 percent of all pregnancies, the Monitoring Mechanism of the Belm do Par Convention reported in 2016. LGBT people are frequently targets of discrimination, extortion, and violence from gangs, the national civil police and military police, and members of the public. The document was compiled from various They forcibly recruit children and sexually abuse women, girls, and LGBT people. The government is implementing similar programs for other locations (e.g. In October 2019, a thief stole the side view mirrors from a U.S. employees personally owned vehicle while it was parked on a side street near the Embassy. 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. Dial 911 for emergency or call (504) 2232-4092. The government tasks CONAPREV with visiting prisons and making recommendations for protecting the rights of prisoners. Medical care is limited. In January, Congress voted to increase the majority needed to amend Hondurass constitutional ban on same sex marriage from two-thirds to three-quarters, thereby further entrenching the prohibition. -threat location for terrorism directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. As of August it continued to provide protection to 12 journalists, among other types of activists and human rights defenders. The penalties for rape range from nine to 13 years imprisonment. The Honduran National Polices Special Victims Investigations Unit, formerly known as the Violent Crimes Task Force, investigated crimes against high-profile and particularly vulnerable victims, including journalists as well as judges, lawyers, and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) community. Counterfeit U.S. currency is also common. A bill was introduced in 2019 to prevent, assist, and protect people internally displaced by violence. 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. Workers had difficulty exercising the rights to form and join unions and to engage in collective bargaining, and the government failed to enforce applicable laws effectively. Violent transnational criminal organizations are also involved in narcotics trafficking and other illicit commerce. The law requires prisoners to work at least five hours a day, six days a week. honduras crime and safety report 2021. by | Jan 19, 2023 | excluded values calculator | h10 rubicon palace sea view room | Jan 19, 2023 | excluded values calculator | h10 rubicon palace sea view room Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2020 was 36.33, a 13.52% decline from 2019. The San Pedro Sula area has seen armed robberies against tourist vans, minibuses, and cars traveling from the airport to area hotels. The U.S. Department of State has assessed Tegucigalpa as being a LOW-threat location for terrorism directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. Several anonymous social media sites, possibly linked to political parties, criticized journalists (as well as activists and civil society organizations) who were critical of the government or opposition party policies. In 2019, seven others were convicted for carrying out the killing. Civil society continued to raise problems with minimum wage violations, highlighting agricultural companies in the south as frequent violators. Observers noted several significant improvements in transparency procedures, including electoral reforms, an updated voter registry and new national identification cards, and new technology that included a biometric verification system and a preliminary results transmission system. Share this via LinkedIn The government investigated violence and threats of violence against union leaders. In March 2019, the Honduran Government created the National Urban Transportation Security Force to combat extortion and other crimes perpetrated by gangs. Honduras has failed to uphold the Garifunas right to collective tenure over their lands and to promptly and adequately investigate threats and acts of harassment against community leaders, the IACHR stated in 2020. Avoid protests, which can quickly turn violent. Long periods of pretrial detention remained common and problematic, with many other pretrial detainees held in the general population with convicted prisoners. 03 / Select Countries You can add more than one country or area. Informal Sector: According to the STSS, approximately 75 percent of workers worked in the informal economy, equivalent to approximately 2.7 million persons. Efforts to reform public security institutions have stalled. EFR CPR/AED; According to UN reports from 2020, transnational gang activity was a primary contributor to violence-related internal displacement. Health-care workers protested the lack of adequate protective equipment and delayed salary payments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Freedom to Participate in the Political Process, Section 4. According to the secretariat, the system was designed for approximately 10,600 inmates. The law provides for freedom of expression, including for members of the press and other media, with some restrictions, and the government generally respected this right. The government has a police investigative unit dedicated to investigating violent crimes against the LGBTI+ and other vulnerable communities, composed of Public Ministry prosecutors, members of ATIC (prosecutors investigative agency), and the Honduran National Police; however, it has limited resources and functions primarily in the major urban areas. 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. Some larger cities have police forces that operate independently of the national police and report to municipal authorities. Linn County deputies seize more than 500 marijuana plants from Halsey The law prohibits members of the armed forces and police, as well as certain other public employees, from forming labor unions. The law permits workers in public health care, social security, staple food production, and public utilities (municipal sanitation, water, electricity, and telecommunications) to strike if they continue to provide basic services. Employers rarely paid the minimum wage in the agricultural sector and paid it inconsistently in other sectors. The U.S. Embassy estimates at least 30,000 U.S. citizens reside in Honduras. Reports of kidnappings of U.S. citizens are not common, with zero reports for 2019. CONAPREV reported every prison had a functioning health clinic with at least one medical professional, but basic medical supplies and medicines were in short supply throughout the prison system. With offices throughout the country, the ombudsperson received cases that otherwise might not have risen to national attention. There were numerous reports of government corruption during the year. 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. The government failed to control pervasive gang-related violence and criminal activity within the prisons. Deportation, Circular Migration and Organized Crime Honduras Case Study; Download the Publication; Honduras: Information Gathering Mission Report; Violence in Honduras: an Analysis of the Failure in Public Security and the State'S Response to Criminality; Opendocpdf.Pdf; Honduras Elites and Organized Crime; Honduras 2019 Crime & Safety Report 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. otherwise distributing OSAC-derived information in a manner inconsistent with this policy may result in the discontinuation of OSAC support. Embassy employees and others have experienced skimming at well-known restaurants, hotels, and retailers. Abusers caught in the act may be detained for up to 24 hours as a preventive measure. Official data on forced internal displacement, especially displacement due to violence, was limited in part because gangs controlled many of the neighborhoods that were sources of internal displacement (see section 6, Displaced Children). 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. The law provides for the right to a fair and public trial; however, the judiciary did not always enforce this right. In August, a former director of the Honduran hydroelectric company DESA was convicted of organizing the 2016 assassination of environmental and Indigenous rights defender Berta Cceres, who opposed construction of a hydroelectric dam on the Gualcarque river. Publishing or A federal grand jury on Friday indicted the man accused of shooting two Jewish men in February with hate crime and firearm offenses, the US Attorney's Office for the Central 2018 toyota rav4 pros and cons. Nongovernmental Impact: Some journalists and other members of civil society reported threats from members of organized criminal groups. Political, Economic, Religious, and Ethnic Violence. Asylum seekers and refugees continued to face acute protection risks in border zones. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, 2021 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, Section 1. The Crime Rate In Roatan Honduras - leicestershirevillages.com There are no legal cases involving instances of terrorism affecting U.S. citizens or facilities brought before the Honduran judicial system, and no reports of judicial developments that would have a negative impact on U.S. counterterrorism efforts. More than half of the men and two-thirds of the women were in pretrial detention, according to official statistics. There is no information to suggest that criminals specifically target U.S. citizens or foreigners. Schools were closed in March 2020 and had not yet returned to full in-person classes by September 2021. Riverdale, MD 20737. Institutions such as the National Womens Institute attempted to enhance the governments response to domestic violence by opening three additional womens centers in the country. -threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. The law prohibits discrimination against persons with physical, sensory, intellectual, and mental disabilities. 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. Fines for child labor were not sufficient to deter violations and not commensurate with penalties for other analogous serious crimes, such as kidnapping. Even when traffic signals are working, drivers often ignore them. The San Pedro Sula area has seen armed robberies against tourist vans, minibuses, and cars traveling from the airport to area hotels. Honduras has a long history of sustaining damage due to powerful tropical storms and hurricanes. The reported killings took place during law enforcement operations or were linked to criminal activity by government agents. Respect for the Integrity of the Person, a. 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. LGBTQI+ rights groups asserted that government agencies and private employers engaged in discriminatory hiring practices. Contraception supplies continued to be limited. In 2022, 34 femicides have been registered as of 21 In 2022, 34 femicides were registered and 17. Overcrowding, inadequate nutrition, poor sanitation, beatings, intra-gang violence, and killings are endemic in prisons. Child Abuse: Child abuse remained a serious problem. 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. INCIDENTS. As of August 5, 174 femicides have been committed in Honduras in 2021 according to the Women's Rights Center, a Honduran nongovernmental organization. Gangs control some of the taxi services. There is street crime even in gated communities commonly referred to locally as. The Office of the Inspector General of the Armed Forces and the Humanitarian Law Directorate investigated abuses by the military. Vanessa worked as a volunteer in the Association for Prevention and Education in Health, Sexuality, AIDS, and Human Rights. The country was a destination for child sex tourism, particularly in the tourist area of the Bay Islands. Review the State Departments webpage on security for. UNHCR Factsheet March 2022 - Honduras | ReliefWeb Gangs control some of the taxi services. Persons with disabilities, indigenous and Afro-descendant persons, LGBTQI+ persons, and persons with HIV or AIDS also faced discrimination in employment and occupation (see section 6). On March 28, transgender activist Vanessa Zuniga was killed in Tela, Atlantida Department.