400 human rights violations reported against women in Honduras after Coup

Reported pattern of sexual abuse after putsch in Honduras

The groups involved over 400 cases of abuse against women by police officers after the coup of June 28th, which deposed President Manuel Zelaya.

• 
  

Mon, 02/11/2009 - 17:27

Washington .- The rights of women in Honduras were undermined and have fallen back after the coup last June, which also resulted in a greater number of rapes at the hands of law enforcement, civic groups said.

A group of organizations reported Monday before the Interamerican Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), a common pattern of abuse and harassment that women have been subjected.

They indicated that the situation has worsened due to the reluctance of many women to report such abuse, given their distrust of government agencies, and the open contempt of the authorities to investigate.

"Having a woman's body has become a battleground," he told members of the IACHR Jessica Sanchez of the group Feminists in Resistance of Honduras.

The groups involved over 400 cases of abuse against women by police officers after the coup of June 28, which deposed President Manuel Zelaya.

These include beatings, abuse and rape, and tear gas attacks that resulted in at least two women died.

Sanchez said there are seven reports of rape, but estimated that given the reluctance of most women to report these crimes, "we believe these cases are not alone.

The activist refused to be isolated cases, when referring to the victims of the seven documented cases suggest that police officers had raped them condoms, which indicates a deliberate pattern between the forces of order.

Adelay Carais, of the same group, said the de facto government has implemented other actions, by which "the progress that we women are at risk."

These measures mentioned the suspension of a program to give birth, and described as apathetic performance of the Office of Women.

Commissioner Felipe González called useful the information provided, on the eve of the report prepared by the IACHR on the situation in Honduras.

Soraya Long, the Center for Feminist transgression requested the IACHR to issue "an urgent request" the de facto government to put an immediate end to these abuses.

"It is an underlying concern that the number of rapes is growing," he said.

Notimex

Recorded 400 assaults against women in Honduras since the coup

Written by Carmen Esquivel Sarria

tuesday, 03 of 2009 of noviembre

03 of November 2009, 00:17  Tegucigalpa, Nov 3 (Prensa Latina) More than 400 human rights violations against women were registered in Honduras since the coup of June 28, according to a report of women's organizations met here today. The cases range from insults, threats and persecution, to beatings, dismissals, sexual assault and other forms of violence, reveals the document presented to the Interamerican Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). According to the text, during the repression of the security forces against anti-coup demonstrations two women died due to poisoning with tear gas. Seven other females were raped by army and police after his arrest or under curfew. "The abuses occur against all types of women, workers, teachers, lawyers, judges," complained Jessica Sanchez of the organization Feminists in Resistance, an author of the report. Moreover, the de facto regime has tried to dismantle the public institutions that safeguard the rights of this sector, as the National Women's Institute, where many employees had been threatened and fired. "The advances made by women are at serious risk under the coup," said Reyes Adelay Carias, Feminists in Resistance. Another area severely affected by the revolt is childhood and adolescence. According to the United Nations Fund for Children there are 79 cases of children whose rights were violated in repressive actions since the coup. The activists urged the IACHR to issue an urgent request to Roberto Micheletti regime to end humanitarian violations. lac/car

Last Updated (Tuesday, 03 of November 2009)