Blacklisted
by http://hondurasculturepolitics.blogspot.com/
The Interamerican Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) issued its annual black list of countries that do not respect human rights. For the first time since 2006, a new country appears on the list, Honduras. The inclusion of Honduras is based on the report of the IACHR visit to the country last August. Chapter 4 of the report, which can be downloaded here, is an executive summary of the longer IACHR report on Human Rights and the Coup, issued in December, 2009. Compare that report with the rather sparse State Department report on Human Rights in Honduras.The response in Honduras has been dismissive.Porfirio Lobo Sosa's newly minted Human Rights advisor, Ana Pineda, is quoted on Radio America's website as saying "this is not the time for Honduras to say whether it endorses the report of the Interamerican Commission on Human Rights." She is reported to have said that the report of the IACHR, in general, reflects the problems of the country after the expulsion of Manuel Zelaya Rosales. In other words, she thinks this is old stuff.
"Now, Honduras is trying to take into account the recommendations of the IACHR and investigate specific cases of human rights violations."Except querida Human Rights advisor, the Human Rights prosecutor, Sandra Ponce, has come forward recently to say that her office cannot investigate and file human rights cases because she has no budget to do so.
Apparently, the naming of Honduras to the list bothered President Lobo Sosa, who came out and said "Its not the policy of the state to violate human rights." He continued:
"The important thing for me is that it is not a state policy, I acknowledge that we have inherited a country with high crime and are doing our best ; there is no State policy of violating human rights."State policy is not the issue, Mr. President, its are you prepared to stop the abuses that are undeniably being denounced daily. Denial is a step on the road to recovery, I'm told.
But moments ago the AP reported that Lobo Sosa had rejected the IACHR report. The same story quotes Human Rights Ombudsperson Ramón Custodio as calling the report "a form of manipulation with the goal of hurting Honduras. The IACHR has lost its ethics."
The Center for Justice and International Law told the UN that the Honduran government has taken no action to protect the majority 134 people named in IACHR demands for protective orders. It found this lack of action worrying.
At the same time, a motion introduced by the representatives of the UD party in the National Congress to replace Human Rights Ombudsperson Ramón Custodio Lopez because he has not properly carried out his functions was defeated by a 122-6 vote. La Tribuna calls this a "unanimous rejection" bringing new meaning to the word "unanimous". Lobo Sosa said that this is not the time for such a motion, rather that it is the time for reconciliation.
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As for Venezuela, the IACHR highlights once again the lack of effective separation and independence of public authorities, and citizens have not been guaranteed the full exercise of their rights regardless of their position towards the government.
The Commission stresses that it is using the punitive power of the State to intimidate or punish people by virtue of their political opinion and that there are no conditions under which human rights defenders and journalists exercise freely their work.
The IACHR alleges that the full enjoyment of political rights in Venezuela has been prevented through mechanisms that restrict opportunities for access to the power of dissident candidates, and have prompted some action to limit the powers of elected officials of the opposition.
The agency aims also to "a worrisome trend" to punish, intimidate and assault people with reprisals for having expressed their dissent with government policies.
Regarding Cuba, the Commission reiterates that the embargo "must end" because of the impact it has on human rights, but emphasizes that this does not relieve Havana to meet its obligations.
Last year, there were new cases of political prisoners, the IACHR reported, which also notes that several of the 75 dissidents sentenced in the "Black Spring" of 2003 have health problems without providing them adequate medical care.
It calls Havana to order the immediate release of those still detained and nullify their convictions.
Furthermore, the IACHR reiterated its concern that in Cuba there are still more than 20 journalists in prison, and acts of harassment against members of the "Ladies in White."
In the case of Colombia, the IACHR notes that Bogotá is still facing challenges in terms of dismantling the illegal armed groups and in implementing the legal framework established to try crimes committed during the conflict.
The agency remains concerned about the existence of not demobilized paramilitary structures, the phenomenon of rearmament and the formation of new armed groups.
One issue of particular concern for the Commission is the employment of intelligence mechanisms against human rights defenders, social leaders, journalists, justice, international cooperation agencies and international organizations.
Finally, with regard to Haiti, the IACHR reiterates its concern for public safety, administration of justice, impunity and the situation of vulnerable people.
The structural and institutional weaknesses and support needed reforms, says the IACHR, which holds that the ineffectiveness of justice, corruption and serious lack of financial and human resources contribute to an environment of impunity that affects the ability of the State to respect and ensure fundamental rights of citizens.
Washington (EFE) -The IACHR has included Honduras for the first time , after the coup last year, among the countries that do not respect human rights and had one more year in the "black list" of its annual report Cuba , Venezuela, Colombia and Haiti.
The report, released today by the president of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), Felipe Gonzalez, before the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs (CAJP) of the Organization of American States (OAS), includes the so-called Chapter IV, which draws attention to those states which should improve the defense and enforcement of human rights.
In the case of Honduras, the Commission is based on the report following the visit to that country after the coup that overthrew Manuel Zelaya on June 28, 2009 .
The IACHR found that in Honduras there were "serious violations" of human rights, among the ones he quoted where the deaths that occurred, the arbitrary declaration of emergency rule, suppression of public demonstrations through a disproportionate use of force, the criminalization of social protest and the arbitrary detention of thousands of people.
The Commission also alleged cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and poor conditions of detention, the militarization of the territory, an increase in situations of racial discrimination, serious arbitrary restrictions on the right to freedom of expression and serious violations of political rights.
In the case of Honduras, the Commission is based on the report following the visit to that country after the coup that overthrew Manuel Zelaya on June 28, 2009 .
The IACHR found that in Honduras there were "serious violations" of human rights, among the ones he quoted where the deaths that occurred, the arbitrary declaration of emergency rule, suppression of public demonstrations through a disproportionate use of force, the criminalization of social protest and the arbitrary detention of thousands of people.
The Commission also alleged cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and poor conditions of detention, the militarization of the territory, an increase in situations of racial discrimination, serious arbitrary restrictions on the right to freedom of expression and serious violations of political rights.
As for Venezuela, the IACHR highlights once again the lack of effective separation and independence of public authorities, and citizens have not been guaranteed the full exercise of their rights regardless of their position towards the government.
The Commission stresses that it is using the punitive power of the State to intimidate or punish people by virtue of their political opinion and that there are no conditions under which human rights defenders and journalists exercise freely their work.
The IACHR alleges that the full enjoyment of political rights in Venezuela has been prevented through mechanisms that restrict opportunities for access to the power of dissident candidates, and have prompted some action to limit the powers of elected officials of the opposition.
The agency aims also to "a worrisome trend" to punish, intimidate and assault people with reprisals for having expressed their dissent with government policies.
Regarding Cuba, the Commission reiterates that the embargo "must end" because of the impact it has on human rights, but emphasizes that this does not relieve Havana to meet its obligations.
Last year, there were new cases of political prisoners, the IACHR reported, which also notes that several of the 75 dissidents sentenced in the "Black Spring" of 2003 have health problems without providing them adequate medical care.
It calls Havana to order the immediate release of those still detained and nullify their convictions.
Furthermore, the IACHR reiterated its concern that in Cuba there are still more than 20 journalists in prison, and acts of harassment against members of the "Ladies in White."
In the case of Colombia, the IACHR notes that Bogotá is still facing challenges in terms of dismantling the illegal armed groups and in implementing the legal framework established to try crimes committed during the conflict.
The agency remains concerned about the existence of not demobilized paramilitary structures, the phenomenon of rearmament and the formation of new armed groups.
One issue of particular concern for the Commission is the employment of intelligence mechanisms against human rights defenders, social leaders, journalists, justice, international cooperation agencies and international organizations.
Finally, with regard to Haiti, the IACHR reiterates its concern for public safety, administration of justice, impunity and the situation of vulnerable people.
The structural and institutional weaknesses and support needed reforms, says the IACHR, which holds that the ineffectiveness of justice, corruption and serious lack of financial and human resources contribute to an environment of impunity that affects the ability of the State to respect and ensure fundamental rights of citizens.
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