Military shooting in Honduras must be urgently investigated and witnesses protected

[struggle4progress]

0 November 2009

Amnesty International said on Saturday that it was deeply worried about the safety of victims of and witnesses to a shooting at a military blockade that took place in Tegucigalpa on Friday night. The organization called on the Human Rights Prosecutor to urgently investigate the incident.

According to eye witnesses interviewed by Amnesty International on Friday night, four men were on their way back home when they saw a military blockade moved from its normal position, close to the Estado Mayor (military compound). They were not given any indication to stop or request to slow down so they drove past.

Immediately after, shots were fired by the military at the car. The men drove on and as they went into a new road, one bullet hit the driver, 32-year-old Angel Salgado, in the head. He lost control of the vehicle which then crashed into a taxi and injured several bystanders, including 45-year-old woman, who was also hit by a stray bullet. She is now in a serious condition in hospital ...

"We are extremely concerned about this case given Honduras' track record of widespread impunity for human rights violations committed by police and military," said Javier Zuñiga, Head of Amnesty International's delegation in Honduras ...

http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGNAU2009113014303&lang=e