UN: Honduras election protests met with excessive force

[Judi Lynn]

Tuesday, 13 March 2018, 9:44 am
Press Release: UN Human Rights Office
Honduras election protests met with excessive and lethal force – UN report

GENEVA (12 March 2018) – Members of the Honduran security forces, in particular the military police, used excessive – including lethal – force to control and disperse protests that erupted following November’s disputed presidential election, a report the UN Human Rights Office said on Monday.

The report details human rights violations that happened between voting day on 26 November and the presidential inauguration on 27 January. It found that at least 22 civilians and one police officer were killed during the protests. Of these, at least 16 people, including two women and two children, were shot dead by the security forces. The report also documents the killing of 15 individuals in the run-up to the elections, including party candidates, municipal councillors and activists.

While some of the protesters became violent, the report notes that, “analysis of the type of injuries suffered by the victims indicate that the security forces made intentional lethal use of firearms, including beyond dissuasive or self-defense (legitimate) purposes, such as when protestors were fleeing.” This was illustrated by the deaths of seven individuals who received shots to the head.

“These cases raise serious concerns and may amount to extra-judicial killings,” the report says. According to information received, by 27 January, no charges had been brought against any member of the security forces in relation to the killings and injuries.

More:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO1803/S00074/un-honduras-election-protests-met-with-excessive-force.htm

[pangaia]

1. If the republicans here are not stopped.......