Civil unrest in Tegucigalpa and other parts of Honduras remains a constant challenge. 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. Members of the LGBTI+ community have reported violent assaults because of gender identity and sexual orientation. Also see the Department of States Trafficking in Persons Report at https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/. The country was a destination for child sex tourism, particularly in the tourist area of the Bay Islands. Review OSACs reports, There are an estimated 7,000-10,000 gang members in a country with an approximate population of ten million people. There were different methodologies to measure the size of the informal economy, and a March 2020 UNDP report estimated that 82 percent of workers were part of the informal economy. Cruise lines and port agencies offer approved tour companies offering packages. On March 3, unknown assailants killed Martin Pandy, president of the Garifuna community of Corozal, and another community member. Those planning travel to Gracias a Dios should consider postponing their travel. The constitution prohibits practicing clergy from running for office or participating in political campaigns. In August, he reported having been brutally beaten by police officers while doing his job. In these sectors employers frequently paid workers for the standard 44-hour workweek irrespective of any additional hours they worked. Major cities (e.g. Civil society organizations criticized the governments failure to investigate threats adequately. Individuals and organizations may appeal adverse domestic decisions to the Inter-American Human Rights System. 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. Indigenous and ethnic minority communities are frequently located in rural areas, which enjoy lower levels of criminal activity. On October 7, in a special session held during the Francisco Morazan national holiday, the National Congress passed a change to the penal code expanding the definition of encroachment (trespassing) by designating streets and parks as protected spaces and redefining groups of protesters to include as few as two persons. The Public Ministry also has the Special Prosecutors Office for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, Journalists, Social Communicators, and Justice Officials. The law provides for freedom of peaceful assembly, and the government generally respected this right. Child recruitment by gangs has caused many children to flee and abandon school. The law grants workers the right to form and join unions of their choice, bargain collectively, and strike. Historically, governments have responded to organized crime with iron-fist security strategies. Review OSACs report, Surviving a Protest. As a result, criminals operate with a high degree of impunity. 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. Penalties for the possession, use, or trafficking of illegal narcotics are strict; convicted offenders can expect lengthy jail sentences and fines. Persons suspected of any of 21 specific felonies must remain in custody, pending the conclusion of judicial proceedings against them. Her most recent evaluation was in August, and the court declared her fit to stand trial in September. Major cities connect via an inconsistently maintained, two-lane system of paved roads, with many unpaved secondary roads. The government did not effectively enforce these laws and regulations, although penalties were commensurate with laws related to civil rights, such as election interference. As a result of Honduran government efforts in close cooperation with the United States, homicide rates have fallen from 86.0 per 100,000 residents in 2012 to 43.6 per 100,000 at the end of 2019. 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. Independent Monitoring: The government generally permitted prison visits by independent local and international human rights observers, including the International Committee of the Red Cross. 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. The U.S. Department of State strongly recommends purchasing international health insurance before traveling internationally. Discrimination is also common in schools, the workplace, and in the home. The STSS may levy a fine against companies that fail to pay social security obligations, but the amount was not sufficient to deter violations. Review OSACs report, Security In Transit: Airplanes, Public Transport, and Overnights. In July, the US released the Engel List, listing individuals from Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala allegedly associated with corruption and undemocratic acts. 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 However, visitors have reported being robbed while walking on isolated beaches. For more in-depth information, review OSACs. 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. Anti-corruption prosecutors have been left defenseless. Physical Conditions: Prisoners suffered from severe overcrowding, malnutrition, lack of adequate sanitation and medical care, and, in some prisons, lack of adequate ventilation and lighting. See the Department of States International Religious Freedom Report at https://www.state.gov/religiousfreedomreport/. In September, the OAS and Honduras signed an agreement to allow an OAS electoral observation mission to the November elections to elect president, legislators, and local authorities. A 59-year-old man was listed as the victim when it was . The location and timing of criminal activity are unpredictable. Crime Information for Tourists in Honduras Crime is widespread in Honduras and requires a high degree of caution by U.S. visitors and residents alike. From January to July, 7,007 accompanied and 676 unaccompanied Honduran children requested asylum. The trial has been marred by irregularities. Between January and March this year, authorities have destroyed . Review OSACs reports, Road Safety Abroad, Driving Overseas: Best Practices, and Evasive Driving Techniques; and read the State Departments webpage on driving and road safety abroad. Travelers should be aware, however, that the assistance the Embassy can provide is limited to making sure U.S. citizens are not treated differently from local detainees and providing them with a list of local attorneys. The law requires prisoners to work at least five hours a day, six days a week. On May 30, protesters blocked several main avenues in Tegucigalpa, including access to Toncontn International Airport (TGU). 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. As a result, there is no longer free travel between Honduras and Nicaragua. There was no information available on any major industrial accidents. 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. A wide variety of domestic and international human rights groups generally operated without government restriction, investigating and publishing their findings on human rights cases. The court ordered Honduras to train security forces to investigate anti-LGBT violence and to adopt a process allowing people to change the gender listed on their documents to match their identity. Even when traffic signals are working, drivers often ignore them. According to Human Rights Watch, Honduras is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for members of these groups. Media noted that family members often faced long delays or were unable to visit detainees. The homicide rate in Honduras was 42 per 100,000 people in 2019, making it one of the most violent countries in the world. The 18th Street and MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha) gangs are the most active and powerful. Download the State Departments Crime Victims Assistance, For fire and public safety emergencies, dial. The location and timing of criminal activity are unpredictable. honduras crime and safety report 2021. See the Department of States Annual Report on International Parental Child Abduction at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/International-Parental-Child-Abduction/for-providers/legal-reports-and-data/reported-cases.html. 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. 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 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. The STSS completed 29 child labor inspections as of September and identified 13 minors working without permission. 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. These tensions have resulted in intense protests and violence. TAIPEI, March 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- One in four Americans experienced home burglary in 2022, according to the first annual Global Safety and Security Report released by AlfredCamera, a leading . In January 2021, the IACHR and the UN special rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons urged the government to adopt a law protecting internally displaced people. The law allows the release of other suspects pending formal charges, on the condition that they periodically report to authorities, although management of this reporting mechanism was often weak. 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. Mental health professionals expressed concern regarding social stigma by families and communities against persons with mental disabilities and a lack of access to mental health care throughout the country. In February, journalist Henry Fiallos and his family received anonymous death threats after he covered a femicide in which police officers were implicated. 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. Low salaries and a lack of internal controls rendered judicial officials susceptible to bribery. The penalties for rape range from nine to 13 years imprisonment. The law grants prisoners the right to prompt access to a lawyer of their choice and, if indigent, to government-provided counsel, although the public defender mechanism was weak, and authorities did not always abide by these requirements. The municipalities in which kidnappings were reported include: Districto Central (4), Jacaleapa (1), Trojes (1), Siguatepeque (1), Puerto Cortes (1), Lejamani (1), Tocoa (1), Tela (1), and Comayagua (1). Gangs, particularly the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and the 18th Street Gang (Barrio 18), are considered largely responsible for Honduras murder rate, and are infamous for extortion and drug peddling. The 2022 Annual Report briefly summarizes RPD's experience in public safety throughout the year with notable activity from the Department's four divisions: Patrol, Investigations, Services and Community Services.