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The 18th Street and MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha) gangs are the most active and powerful. Thirty-four percent of women ages 20 to 24 had married when they were 15 to 19, a UN Population Fund study conducted from 2005 to 2019 found. As a result, criminals operate with a high degree of impunity. Responding police fired tear gas in and around the main terminal to regain control after protesters entered the building and airport grounds. Counterfeit medicines are available in, (private home-operated convenience stores), but have also been reported in, Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Honduras. A significant percentage of vehicles are in disrepair, underpowered, beyond their lifecycle, and would not meet U.S. road safety standards. Honduras' national police force is overseen by the Secretary of Security, which had 18,770 agents in 2020 and ambitious plans to reach 26000 by 2022. -threat location for terrorism directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. 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. The law prohibits members of the armed forces and police, as well as certain other public employees, from forming labor unions. The government closed two pretrial detention centers in April due to low numbers of these types of pretrial detainees. You can add more than one country or area. Sexual Harassment: The law criminalizes sexual harassment, including in employment. The law mandates that authorities release detainees whose cases have not yet come to trial and whose time in pretrial detention already exceeds the maximum prison sentence for their alleged crime. Avoid traveling at night and always drive with doors locked and windows rolled up to deter potential robberies at traffic lights and on congested downtown streets. Many prisons lacked sufficient security personnel. Since 2010, there have been approximately 60 murders of U.S. citizens reported in Honduras. Vanessa worked as a volunteer in the Association for Prevention and Education in Health, Sexuality, AIDS, and Human Rights. The center, administered by the National Prison Institute, was on a military installation and received some support services from the military. There is often a spike in skimming in December and June, when the working population receive Christmas and mid-year bonuses in the form of one extra months salary. The government failed to control pervasive gang-related violence and criminal activity within the prisons. The IACHR received information on frequent threats of lawsuits and prosecutions, including for slander and libel, hindering human rights work in Honduras. They called for implementation of protective measures. Since MACCIH left, the Attorney Generals Office has harassed and intimidated the head of its own anti-corruption criminal enterprise office, Prosecutor Luis Javier Santos, and members of his team. Counterfeit U.S. currency is also common. There are claims of widespread corruption in land sales, deed filing, and dispute resolution, including claims against attorneys, real estate companies, judges, and local officials. Following anticorruption protests in 2015, President Hernandez signed an agreement with the Organization of American States to form the Mission Against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (MACCIH). The criminal justice system regularly fails to hold accountable those responsible for crimes and abuses. On May 30, protesters blocked several main avenues in Tegucigalpa, including access to Toncontn International Airport (TGU). The government used the pretrial detention center to hold high-profile suspects and those in need of additional security, including police and military officials. CONAPREV reported 13 violent deaths in prisons as of September. The law provides for an independent judiciary, but the justice system was poorly funded and staffed, inadequately equipped, often ineffective, and subject to intimidation, corruption, politicization, and patronage. Rural communities subject to increased food insecurity due to prolonged drought and extreme weather events are also vulnerable to displacement. Many inspectors asked workers to provide them with transportation so that they could conduct inspections, since the STSS could not pay for travel to worksites. The law prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention and provides for the right of any person to challenge the lawfulness of his or her arrest or detention in court. The location and timing of criminal activity are unpredictable. Gangs exercise territorial control over some neighborhoods and extort residents throughout the country. Diarrheal illness is very common even in large cities and luxury accommodations. Libel/Slander Laws: Citizens, including public officials, may initiate criminal proceedings for libel and slander. These workers are not covered by the contributory social security system and are not protected by the labor code. While hurricane winds are a concern, much of the damage to infrastructure comes as a result of the ensuing flooding and rock/mudslides. Home. LGBTI+ travelers should exercise caution, especially when expressing affection in public. Authorities continued to investigate the incident. Litigants may sue a criminal defendant for damages if authorized by a criminal court. Violence against LGBT individuals displaces many internally and forces others to leave the country to seek asylum. By law women have equal access to educational opportunities. Except in some very rural locations, police are aware of a U.S. citizen detainee's right to contact the Embassy. Credible allegations of corruption in the STSS continued. If the STSS grants permission, children between 14 and 16 may work a maximum of four hours a day, and those between 16 and 18 may work up to six hours a day. There is no information to suggest that criminals specifically target U.S. citizens or foreigners. Gangs are not reluctant to use violence, and specialize in murder-for-hire, carjacking, extortion, and other violent street crime. Hours of Operation: Monday-Thursday, 0730-1630; Friday, 0800-1500, Tel: +504-2236-9320; After Hours: +504-2236-8497, Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/embajadahonduras/, Banco Atlntida Building, 11th Floor, across the street from Central Park, San Pedro Sula, Hours of Operation: Monday-Thursday, 1200-1600, Website: https://hn.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/spsca/. in the past 12 months, 32% twice, 6% three times, and 3% more than three times. LGBTI+ travelers should exercise caution, especially when expressing affection in public. Officers filed a report for theft at 8:15 a.m. Tuesday in the 900 block of Kearney Street in Manhattan. Schools were closed in March 2020 and had not yet returned to full in-person classes by September 2021. Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) Advanced Training. 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. 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. Despite incremental progress, government capacities remained relatively nascent and limited. Cable signal theft and counterfeit products are the most prevalent violations of intellectual property rights in Honduras. A revision to the penal code that entered into force in June 2020 broadly reduces criminal penalties for corruption by officials. Find contact information for available medical services and available air ambulance services on the U.S. Embassy/Consulate website. Limited inspections could facilitate movements of terrorists. Recent Elections: In November Xiomara Castro of the LIBRE Party won a four-year presidential term in elections that were generally considered free, fair, and transparent. Most women in the workforce engaged in lower-status and lower-paying informal occupations, such as domestic service, without the benefit of legal protections. INCIDENTS. 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. On July 25, media reported individuals shot and killed Liberal Party congressional candidate and former congresswoman Carolina Echeverria Haylock in Tegucigalpa. The Linn County Sheriff's Office . 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 Rapidito, 31% twice, 11% three times, and 10% more than three times. Persons suspected of any of 21 specific felonies must remain in custody, pending the conclusion of judicial proceedings against them. Reports of kidnappings of U.S. citizens are not common, with zero reports for 2019. The government had a nascent system to provide legal protection to refugees. Violence linked to land disputes also occurs, particularly in the Bay Islands and Bajo Aguan Valley in northern Honduras. Riverdale, MD 20737. Due to the remote nature of these areas, the governments ability to respond to violence or other problems is often very limited, as is access to medical facilities. Review the State Departments webpage on security for travelers with disabilities. NGOs have reported anonymous attacks via social media, alleging that civil society actors are engaged in, or supportive of, criminal activity in Honduras. In cooperation with the UN Development Program (UNDP), the government operated consolidated reporting centers in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula where women could report crimes, seek medical and psychological attention, and receive other services. Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: unlawful or arbitrary killings, including extrajudicial killings; torture and cases of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by government agents ; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary arrest or detention; serious restrictions on free expression and media, including threats to media members by criminal elements and the existence of criminal libel laws; serious government corruption; lack of investigation of and accountability for gender-based violence; and crimes involving violence or threats of violence against indigenous and Afro-descendant communities, and against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex persons. Meanwhile, 59% reported having been assaulted at least once while a passenger in a taxi (. ) drivers licenses, vehicle registration). Port agencies have worked to improve taxi service to/from ports. gangs are the most active and powerful. The CA-4 agreement among El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras allows for the inspection-free movement of citizens among these countries, reducing overall inspection at land crossings. This is an annual report produced in conjunction with the Regional Security Office at the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa. The Cattrachas Lesbian Network reported 17 violent deaths of LGBTQI+ persons as of August. The law allows persons charged with some felonies to avail themselves of bail and gives prisoners the right of prompt access to family members. Administrative penalties were insufficient to deter violations and were rarely enforced. Of those, 37,114 were deported from Mexico and 4,689 from the US. In September police arrested Denis Abel Ordonez, Michael Andre Mejia, and Walter Antonio Matute Raudales in connection with her murder. In May and June of 2022, CLDP will host two workshops in Honduras on customs valuation and communication. 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. Uniforms and vehicles are all clearly marked. 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. An Ojai police car is parked on Thacher Road. In a 2020 survey by UNHCR and UNICEF, half of Hondurans interviewed in Mexico named violence as the main reason for their leaving. The law provides for freedom of peaceful assembly, and the government generally respected this right. If you or someone you know becomes the victim of a crime, contact the local police and U.S. Embassy Tegucigalpa. Some nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) expressed concern regarding weak implementation of the law and limited resources available to operate the governments protection mechanism. The country does not appear to be a terrorist safe haven. 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 law permits strikes by workers in export-processing zones and free zones for companies that provide services to industrial parks, but it requires that strikes not impede the operations of other factories in such parks. In January the government funded the opening of a UN Office of Drugs and Crime office to begin a government transparency project and support the drafting of the countrys first national anticorruption strategy. Backsliding occurred in cases brought during the four-year mandate of the OAS Mission to Support the Fight Against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras; several of its cases were dismissed or postponed as courts heard appeals based on the new code. Share this via Printer. A 22-year-old woman was listed as the victim when it was reported her Tao Blade . It also provides for paid national holidays and annual leave. for original OSAC reporting, consular messages, and contact information, some of which may be available only to private-sector representatives with an OSAC password. The law permits defendants to confront witnesses against them and offer witnesses and evidence in their defense. -threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. Share this via LinkedIn In June 2021, the Inter-American Commision on Human Rights (IACHR) estimated a 90 percent rate of impunity for crimes committed against human rights defenders in Honduras. 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. 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 government investigated violence and threats of violence against union leaders. 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. 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. Most cruise line passengers experience no problems, but there have been reports of associated armed robbery and carjacking. Passing on blind corners is common. In March 2019, the Honduran Government created the National Urban Transportation Security Force to combat extortion and other crimes perpetrated by gangs. Most demonstrations were concentrated in or around city centers, public buildings, and other public areas. Always carry a mobile phone in case of emergency. The law also requires that public-sector workers involved in the refining, transportation, and distribution of petroleum products submit their grievances to the Secretariat of Labor and Social Security (STSS) before striking. Review OSACs reports, The Overseas Travelers Guide to ATM Skimmers & Fraud, Best Practices for Maximizing Security on Public Wi-Fi, Traveling with Mobile Devices: Trends & Best Practices. Coca farms and cocaine production camps are proliferating in Honduras, showing that the illicit crop has taken root in the country after years of low-level experimentation. Girls and adolescents younger than 19 carry 15 percent of all pregnancies, the Monitoring Mechanism of the Belm do Par Convention reported in 2016. 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. In 2019, seven others were convicted for carrying out the killing. However, there can be communal tension over land ownership, natural resource allocation, and exploitation. International Child Abductions: The country is a party to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. In February, journalist Henry Fiallos and his family received anonymous death threats after he covered a femicide in which police officers were implicated. The law prohibits all forms of forced labor, but the government did not effectively implement or enforce the law. There were credible complaints that police occasionally failed to obtain the required authorization before entering private homes. 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. Share this via WhatsApp According to government estimates, children with disabilities attended school at a lower rate than the general population. The government considers rape a crime of public concern, and the state prosecutes rapists even if victims do not press charges. Informal Sector: According to the STSS, approximately 75 percent of workers worked in the informal economy, equivalent to approximately 2.7 million persons. The Secretariat of Human Rights stated it was taking every precaution to protect prisoners rights and assure that the work provided opportunities for prisoners to develop skills they could use in legal economic activities after their release.