Honduras
24.10.01
Urgent Interventions
Honduras: 940 children and young adults executed since January 1998
Case HND 241001.CC
CHILD CONCERN
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Honduras.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by Casa Alianza, a member of the OMCT network, that more than one hundred and ten children and young adults have been murdered in Honduras since the August 2001 visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on extra-judicial, arbitrary or summary executions, bringing the total to more than 940 murders since January 1998.
An average of more than 50 children and young adults under the age of 23 are being murdered in Honduras every month according to statistics compiled by Casa Alianza. More than half of the victims are between 16 and 17 years old, and more than 22% are 15 years old or younger.
According to Casa Alianza, police officers are involved in a significant number of these deaths. However, no investigation has been so far undertaken to identify and sanction those responsible.
Background information
Ms Asma Jahangir, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extra-judicial, arbitrary or summary executions was in Honduras from 6 to 16 August 2001 to investigate the increasing and consistent reports of killings of children, some of which were directly attributed to the security forces. In a press release she expressed among other concerns: “There are documented reports of sixty-six minors killed in the first six months of this year. Human rights organizations put the number higher than official figures. There is a general perception that all such killings have been carried out by rival “gangs” of children. Statistics defy that perception. The vast majority of these cases remains unsolved. The perpetrators are unknown groups or individuals who target and kill street children. Government records show that some of these children have in fact been killed by the security forces, and I have received assurances that the accused will be brought to justice. My observation is that a number of such killings remain unreported.”
She further mentioned: “The right to life includes due process of law. It must be granted on an equal footing to all individuals. Under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Honduras is a party, children enjoy special rights and protection. Discrimination against them is a serious violation of human rights. No circumstances can justify the use of excessive force by the State.”
Action requested
Please write to the authorities of Honduras urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the right to life, as well as the physical and psychological integrity of all children and young adults in Honduras, including those who live on the streets;
ii. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of the deaths in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
iii. guarantee respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national law, regional and international human rights standards, in particular the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Addresses:
- Ingeniero CARLOS FLORES FACUSSÉ, Presidente Constitucional de la República de Honduras, Casa Presidencial, Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Fax: +504-235-69-49, e-mail: law_bureau@hotmail.com
- Profesor RAFAEL PINEDA PONCE, Presidente del Congreso Nacional, Palacio Legislativo, Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Fax: +504-238-6048
- Abogado MIGUEL ANGEL RIVERA PORTILLO, Presidente Corte Suprema de Justicia,
Palacio Judicial, Fax: +504-233-7921
- Doctor LEO VALLADARES LANZA, Comisionado Nacional de Derechos Humanos
Fax: +504-221-0536, e-mail: lvalladares@cablecolor.hn
- Señor CARLOS ARMANDO ZELAYA ROSALES, Comisión Ordinaria de Derechos Humanos del Congreso Nacional, Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Fax: +504-238-6048
- Lic OCTAVIO SOLOMON NUÑEZ, Director de la Oficina de Derechos Humanos, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Edificio Principal, Colonia Miraflores, Boulevard de las Fuerzas Armadas, Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Fax: (+504) 235 62 43; e-mail: dhumanos@sre.hn.
Geneva, 24 October 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
CHILD CONCERN
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Honduras.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by Casa Alianza, a member of the OMCT network, that more than one hundred and ten children and young adults have been murdered in Honduras since the August 2001 visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on extra-judicial, arbitrary or summary executions, bringing the total to more than 940 murders since January 1998.
An average of more than 50 children and young adults under the age of 23 are being murdered in Honduras every month according to statistics compiled by Casa Alianza. More than half of the victims are between 16 and 17 years old, and more than 22% are 15 years old or younger.
According to Casa Alianza, police officers are involved in a significant number of these deaths. However, no investigation has been so far undertaken to identify and sanction those responsible.
Background information
Ms Asma Jahangir, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extra-judicial, arbitrary or summary executions was in Honduras from 6 to 16 August 2001 to investigate the increasing and consistent reports of killings of children, some of which were directly attributed to the security forces. In a press release she expressed among other concerns: “There are documented reports of sixty-six minors killed in the first six months of this year. Human rights organizations put the number higher than official figures. There is a general perception that all such killings have been carried out by rival “gangs” of children. Statistics defy that perception. The vast majority of these cases remains unsolved. The perpetrators are unknown groups or individuals who target and kill street children. Government records show that some of these children have in fact been killed by the security forces, and I have received assurances that the accused will be brought to justice. My observation is that a number of such killings remain unreported.”
She further mentioned: “The right to life includes due process of law. It must be granted on an equal footing to all individuals. Under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Honduras is a party, children enjoy special rights and protection. Discrimination against them is a serious violation of human rights. No circumstances can justify the use of excessive force by the State.”
Action requested
Please write to the authorities of Honduras urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the right to life, as well as the physical and psychological integrity of all children and young adults in Honduras, including those who live on the streets;
ii. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of the deaths in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
iii. guarantee respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national law, regional and international human rights standards, in particular the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Addresses:
- Ingeniero CARLOS FLORES FACUSSÉ, Presidente Constitucional de la República de Honduras, Casa Presidencial, Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Fax: +504-235-69-49, e-mail: law_bureau@hotmail.com
- Profesor RAFAEL PINEDA PONCE, Presidente del Congreso Nacional, Palacio Legislativo, Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Fax: +504-238-6048
- Abogado MIGUEL ANGEL RIVERA PORTILLO, Presidente Corte Suprema de Justicia,
Palacio Judicial, Fax: +504-233-7921
- Doctor LEO VALLADARES LANZA, Comisionado Nacional de Derechos Humanos
Fax: +504-221-0536, e-mail: lvalladares@cablecolor.hn
- Señor CARLOS ARMANDO ZELAYA ROSALES, Comisión Ordinaria de Derechos Humanos del Congreso Nacional, Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Fax: +504-238-6048
- Lic OCTAVIO SOLOMON NUÑEZ, Director de la Oficina de Derechos Humanos, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Edificio Principal, Colonia Miraflores, Boulevard de las Fuerzas Armadas, Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Fax: (+504) 235 62 43; e-mail: dhumanos@sre.hn.
Geneva, 24 October 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.