Geneva.
Honduras continues to face challenges in the area of fundamental freedoms, “including high levels of violence, impunity, discrimination and lack of access to economic, social and cultural rights, “said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet today.
In his report on the situation in that country and in other countries to the United Nations Human Rights Council, the High Commissioner also stressed that the covid-19 pandemic and the impact of Hurricanes Iota and Eta last year “exacerbated the pre-existing obstacles faced by the most vulnerable.”
Bachelet said that during the state of emergency declared in Honduras due to the pandemic, 665 social protests were registered and expressed concern about the arbitrary detentions made in them, as well as the excessive use of force by security operations. .
He also expressed concern about the “militarization of civil security” during the pandemic, for which he called on The Honduran government to “undertake a gradual process of demilitarization and consolidation of civil institutions“In terms of safety.
The former Chilean president pointed out that in 2020, the UN office he leads has noticed how threats, persecution and even the killing of human rights, environmentalists and landowners have continued in the Central American country.
He also expressed concern about “obstacles to access to justice in various lawsuits”, including the assassination of Honduran indigenous leader Berta Cáceres five years ago.
The High Commissioner also regretted that the Honduran government had not yet initiated participatory consultations to reform the new penal Code, and stressed that many Honduran returnees, after being part of the so-called “caravans for migrants”, returned “without meeting the criteria of will, dignity and security.”