IACHR URGES HONDURAS TO RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF THE PERSONS INSIDE THE EMBASSY OF BRAZIL

PRESS RELEASE

N° 68/09

IACHR URGES HONDURAS TO RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF THE PERSONS INSIDE THE EMBASSY OF BRAZIL

 

Washington, DC, September 25, 2009 – The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) strongly condemns the operation by agents of the Honduran de facto regime in the area of the Brazil Embassy in Tegucigalpa and urges to respect the human rights of the persons inside the diplomatic building, as well as its inviolability.

 

According to the information received, security forces of the de facto regime surrounded the Brazilian Embassy and threw unidentified toxic gases, causing intoxications, bleeding, vomiting and dizziness to the persons inside the diplomatic building. The information also indicates that since this operation started this morning, members of the Army have blocked the exit of any person from the Embassy and have prevented doctors from entering, including the International Red Cross.

 

The IACHR calls urgently on the de facto regime to immediately end this operation and to adopt all necessary measures to guarantee the rights to life, integrity and security of all persons inside the Embassy of Brazil and its surroundings. Moreover, the IACHR urges the de facto authorities to guarantee that doctors are able to enter and provide urgent assistance to the affected persons.

 

A principal, autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), the IACHR derives its mandate from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission has the mandate to promote respect for human rights in the region and acts as a consultative body to the OAS in this matter. The Commission is composed of seven independent members who act in a personal capacity, without representing a particular country, and who are elected by the OAS General Assembly.

 

Useful links:

IACHR Condemns Excessive Use Of Force In Repression Of Protests In Honduras

DENUNCIAITON OF POLITICAL PRISONERS FROM COPINH, Interview with Bertha Cáceres from COPINH

Civil Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras - COPINH

PUBLIC DENUNCIATION

Before national and international public opinion, the media, human rights organizations and the Honduran people,

We denounce:

1.- That since the 28th of June in Honduraswe are living through a state of continuous and systematic violation of the human rights of people throughout the national territory

2.- That these practices of violation, repression and brutality used by the coup dictatorial regime have assaulted the physical and psychological well-being and multiple rights of the population which has led to a large quantity of people killed and wounded.

3.- In this context there have been detentions and false accusations against citizens and foreign citizens in order to discredit people who have no relation with criminal practices.

4.-In this moment the following citizens:

1. SANTOS REYNARDO GARCIA MONCADA (EL PARAISO)
2. JOE ORLANDO GARCIA MONCADA (EL PARAISO)
3. MARIA ANTOLINA GARCIA HERNANDES (EL PARAISO)
4. OSCAR JOAQUIN GARCIA MONCADA (EL PARAISO)
5. GLADYS ASUZENA LAGOS (EL PARAISO)
6. VICTOR ADOLFO IZAGUIRRE RAMOS (18 años) (EL PARAISO)
7. AGUSTINA FLORES LOPEZ (COPINH)
8. MARIO ENRIQUE MOLINA (TEGUCIGALPA)
9. ANTONIO PORTA ALVAREZ (ESPAÑOL)

have become political prisoners of the dictatorial regime impossed by Roberto Micheletti Bain and the authorities following his illegal command. These people were initially taken to several illegal detention centers and besides being brutally beaten have been accused amongst other things of sedition, a political crime established in the national national laws. There is no type of reliable evidence that sustains this accusation.

Because of this we demand the immediate freedom of our political prisoners.

We denounce, once again, the persecution and aggression carried out against the Honduran people by the dictatorial regime through its repressive bodies.

We demand before national and international opinion and its relevant organizations the immediate denunciation and action in favor of life, freedom and security of these persons and the people in general.

Tegucigalpa, 24th of September, 2009.

¡¡¡AT 89 DAYS OF STRUGGLE HERE NOBODY IS GIVING UP!!!

WITH THE ANCESTRAL FORCE OF LEMPIRA, MOTA AND ETEMPICA WE RAISE OUR VOICES OF LIFE, JUSTICE, FREEDOM, DIGNITY AND PEACE

Repression from Septmber 22nd-23rd

At least four people died, among them an eight year old child in the confrontations that took place in Tegucigalpa

The peasant leader who directs the Front of Resistance Against the Coup d'Etat in Honduras, Rafael Alegría, confirmed to the Honduran radio station Radio Globo the death of two people poisoned by teargas used by the military and police to disperse the protesters around the Brazillian embassy in Tegucigalpa, where Zelaya has been since Monday. At the same time, Alegría confirmed to the radio station the death of a union leader of the workers of the National Agrarian Institute because of a bullet.

At the same time, Zelaya spokesperson Omar Palacios confirmed to the Nicaraguan newspaper Nuevo Diario the death of an eight year old child who was living next to the Brazillian embassy which continues to be surrounded by military and police. The child died asphyxiated by the tear gasses that were used.

"They attacked the house with bombs and didn't give them the opportunity to leave. There was no humanitarian consideration even to take out their remains," added Palacios.

Since the coup of the 28th of une until the month of August, according to information from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, four people have been killed during acts of protest against the Micheletti government, in which "mass beatings and detentions have proliferated" against the opposition to him. Amnesty International (AI) denounced an increase in police beatings, massive arrests of protesters against the de fact government and the intimidation of human rights activists in honduras since the coup in June. "Numerous protesters" were attacked by the authorities.

For his part, Zelaya indicated that he has information that at least ten people have died in the country in the incidents that happened Tuesday between his followers and the police forces.

“I have information of more than ten people killed yesterday," said Zelaya in declarations made by telephone to the media.
Chornicle of September 23rd from Feminists in Resistance
Sisters, at 88 days of resistance, yesterday in my neighborhood women, men and kids filled the boulevard of the armed forces, we burned tires and took over the boulevard, defying the curfew that the coup-makers had installed yesterday, at 8 pm a white Nissan vehicle came, turned on its lights and parked at one of the barricades that we had put up. From the car there were three shots, minutes later two police tanks arrived blasting us with water and tear gas, two trucks of military and two police patrols full of police arrived, there were also soldiers walking, all of them completely armed, they arrived even at the houses firing tear gas and water, from this moment they started to fire without stopping and for a period they would go then come back shooting, all night was a night of war, and we woke up with two helicopters flying over our neighborhoods, LA NUEVA ESPERANZA (the New Hope) and EL PROGESO (the Progress).
Today the 23rd of September more than 60,000 of us gathered at the National Pedagogical University, from where we left towards the UN. We were all going with lots of strength and energy to continue with the popular insurrection. When we got halfway to the Guadalupe bridge, there were hundreds of police and military, but thanks to the strength of the people we were repelling the military and police until we got to the red building in the Palmira neighborhood, when the "leadership of the resistance" said we should head to the center, several of us were left at the end of the march and the BAD AUTHORITIES when they saw that there were few of us started to throw tear gas at us and follow us, we ran two blocks, when a patrol car was following us LIDICE and myself (SARA), we ran and we left some behind, and the patrol captured them, [We escaped] thanks to the solidarity of one friend who let us come into his house which in that moment had the door open. When we could leave that place we got to downtown, where the military of all colors and with lots of arms that we had never seen surrounded us around the center of the city street by street, they fired on people, and FOR A SECOND TIME WE WERE ABLE TO GET OUT. Sisters we are being cruelly repressed, beaten and killed from the neighborhoods in resistance they have already killed several, they have cut off the signals of Channel 36 and Radio Globo.

Please we need support "THEY ARE GOING TO KILL US"