Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights issues new report on human rights violations during the Honduran coup d'état



HONDURAS: HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE COUP D’ÉTAT




HONDURAS: HUMAN RIGHTS AND COUP


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COMMISSION RELEASES REPORT ON HONDURAS
http://cidh.org/countryrep/Honduras09sp/Indice.htm

Washington, DC, 20 January 2010 - The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) today released the report Honduras: Human Rights and coup. The IACHR conducted a site visit to Honduras from 17 to 21 August 2009 and produced this report, whose scope covers the situation of human rights since the coup that overthrew democratically elected President on 28 June 2009.

The report notes that along with the institutional legitimization caused by the coup, there have been serious human rights violations, including killings, arbitrary declaration of emergency rule, suppression of public demonstrations through a disproportionate use of force, criminalization of social protests, arbitrary arrests of thousands of people, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and poor conditions of detention, militarization of the area, increase in situations of racial discrimination, violations of women's rights, arbitrary restrictions on right to freedom of expression and serious violations of political rights.

The IACHR also noted the ineffectiveness of judicial remedies to protect human rights. Violations of the rights to life, personal integrity, partnership, personal liberty, fair trial, freedom of expression, political rights, rights of women and minority groups were exacerbated by the lack of an institutional mechanism to handle complaints, investigate the facts, punish the perpetrators and compensating victims.

The sectors of Honduran society to condemn the coup to the IACHR expressed its fear of reprisals by security agents and mistrust in the actions of the institutions that have strongly condemned the disruption of the democratic and have shown inactive in response to allegations made public.The de facto authorities and the Supreme Court of Honduras consistently denied the existence of such violations, a fact which resulted in a situation of inaction and tolerance that facilitates the repetition of these acts with impunity.

The bodies of the American human rights system have argued repeatedly that the democratic system is the main guarantee for the enjoyment of human rights. Indeed, the report shows that human rights violations that are reported are a direct result of the rupture of constitutional order. The Commission condemns the fact that despite the efforts of the international community  the return of President Zelaya of Honduras to the presidency has not been allowed. Therefore, the Commission considers that the return to democratic institutions in Honduras is necessary so that the conditions exist for effective protection and enforcement of human rights of all inhabitants of that country. 

The IACHR is an autonomous organ of the Organization of American States (OAS), whose mandate is the Charter of the OAS and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Commission consists of seven independent members who serve in person, not representing any particular country and who are elected by the OAS General Assembly.

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