Honduras: Human Rights

Honduras is a constitutional, multiparty republic. Juan Orlando Hernandez won the presidency on November 24 in an election that international observers generally recognized as transparent, credible, and reflected the will of the Honduran electorate. Civilian authorities failed at times to maintain effective control over the security forces. Members of security forces committed human rights abuses and were turned over to the civilian justice system. Among the most serious human rights problems were corruption, intimidation, and institutional weakness of the justice system leading to widespread impunity; unlawful and arbitrary killings by security forces, organized criminal elements, and others; and harsh and at times life-threatening prison conditions. Pervasive societal violence persisted. There continued to be reports of killings in rural areas, including the Bajo Aguan region, of indigenous people, agricultural workers, bystanders, private security guards, and security forces related to land disputes, infrastructure development projects, organized crime, and other factors. Other human rights problems included violence against detainees; lengthy pretrial detentions and failure to provide due process of law; threats against journalists; corruption in government; violence against and harassment of women; child prostitution and abuse; trafficking in persons; encroachment on indigenous lands and discrimination against indigenous and Afro-descendent communities; violence against and harassment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons; ineffective enforcement of labor laws; and child labor. The government took steps to prosecute and punish officials who committed abuses, but corruption, intimidation, and the poor functioning of the justice system were serious impediments to the protection of human rights. There continued to be instances in which military or police officials suspected of human rights violations were not investigated or punished.