Three More Attacks on Human Rights Defenders in Honduras
Three More Attacks on Human Rights Defenders in Honduras
By Larry Ladutke
August 2, 2013 at 8:30 AM
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—Investigations personnel inspect the car of Honduran Judge Mireya Efigenia Mendoza Pena, where she
was found shot dead on July 24, 2013. 64 law professionals including Mendoza have been killed in
Honduras since January 2010 (Photo Credit: STR/AFP/Getty Images).
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“For us, there were two hours of terror, but for the people there, it’s something that never ends, it’s daily. In this sense, we have to use what has happened to denounce nationally and internationally what is occurring in this region.”
-Orlane Vidal, a French volunteer abducted while working with Honduran activists in Nueva Esperanza
Less than a week ago, I posted about the killing of an indigenous community leader when Honduran troops opened fire on a peaceful march. I also reported a sad update on the case of a Honduran journalist who was abducted in June – Amnesty confirmed his mutilated body had been located.
Now, I have three more cases of attacks on human rights defenders to tell you about:
◾ On July 21, the body of transsexual activist Herwin Alexis Ramirez Chamorro (aka “Africa Noxema Howell”) was found in La Ceiba. Herwin Alexis volunteered with the Ceiba Pro-Union Organization (OPROUCE). Last February, I posted about threats against the Executive Director of this OPROUCE, Patricio Vindel.
◾Judge Mireya Efigenia Mendoza Peña, a member of the Association of Judges for Democracy (AJD) was killed in an ambush by gunmen on motorcycles on July 24.
◾ Also on July 24, seven heavily armed men abducted two international volunteers who had been working with Honduran activists opposed to mining in the Nueva Esperanza community in the department of Atlántida – the same region where Herwin Alexis Ramirez Chamorro was murdered. Although the two activists were eventually released unharmed, the gunmen threatened them if they reported the crime.
More:
http://blog.amnestyusa.org/americas/happening-now-three-more-attacks-on-human-rights-defenders-in-honduras/