SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
The former Honduran president Manuel Zelaya, center, leads a march demanding President Juan Orlando Hernandez's resignation in Tegucigalpa on 5 June. (Photo: Orlando Sierra/AFP/Getty Images)
Honduran Government Denounced for Using 'Dangerous and Illegal Tactics' to Silence Dissent
"Honduras seems to be on a very dangerous free fall where ordinary people are the victims of reckless and selfish political games," Amnesty International warns amid crackdown on mass protests over allegations of election fraud
Dec 08, 2017
As Honduras' right-wing government continues to crack down on dissenting voices amid widespread violence and national protests over allegations of election fraud in last month's presidential election, Amnesty International is calling on officials to immediately stop "deploying dangerous and illegal tactics to silence any dissenting voices," while the nation's former president blames the United States, which backed the 2009 coup that ousted him from power, for creating "a military state."
"Evidence shows that there is no space for people in Honduras to express their opinions. When they do, they come face to face with the full force of the government's repressive apparatus."
--Erika Guevara-Rosas, Amnesty International
Efforts to silence opponents of incumbent President Juan Orlando Hernandez have continued, as protesters pour into the streets in spite of a government-imposed curfew, under which Amnesty says "security forces operated with the greatest impunity."
Even as some members of the Honduran National Police force have started refusing to follow orders to quash protests because, as a spokesperson said, they "don't want to repress and violate the rights of the Honduran people," the violence has persisted.
"Honduras seems to be on a very dangerous free fall where ordinary people are the victims of reckless and selfish political games," said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International. "Evidence shows that there is no space for people in Honduras to express their opinions. When they do, they come face to face with the full force of the government's repressive apparatus."
Amnesty International sent a delegation to Tegucigalpa, the Honduran capitol, following the Nov. 26 election to meet with activists, victims of violence, and police officers. The group has "documented a plethora of human rights violations against protesters and other people" as well as at least 14 deaths since the protests broke out after the election.
Guevara-Rosas urged the Honduran government to "start undoing some of the many wrongs documented in recent days" by "halting all use of illegitimate or excessive force against protesters by security forces, ending arbitrary detentions, and investigating all instances of human rights violations."
In an exclusive interview with Democracy Now!, Manuel Zelaya--who was ousted by a U.S.-backed coup in 2009--urged protesters to maintain their presence in the streets, and called on Hernandez and the Honduran government to count the votes. The former president says the protesters "know that [leftist coalition leader] Salvador Nasralla won the election," but Hernandez, a "reliable" U.S. ally, has remained in power because of U.S. influence over Honduran institutions.
"Since the coup d'etat, the United States has done what it wants with this country," Zelaya said. "They changed all the laws. This is a military state, with laws like Plan Colombia, like the laws in Iraq and Afghanistan. That is what's happening in Honduras. And they've done away with guarantees and with respect. What's being done in this country is unjust."
Watch:
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
As Honduras' right-wing government continues to crack down on dissenting voices amid widespread violence and national protests over allegations of election fraud in last month's presidential election, Amnesty International is calling on officials to immediately stop "deploying dangerous and illegal tactics to silence any dissenting voices," while the nation's former president blames the United States, which backed the 2009 coup that ousted him from power, for creating "a military state."
"Evidence shows that there is no space for people in Honduras to express their opinions. When they do, they come face to face with the full force of the government's repressive apparatus."
--Erika Guevara-Rosas, Amnesty International
Efforts to silence opponents of incumbent President Juan Orlando Hernandez have continued, as protesters pour into the streets in spite of a government-imposed curfew, under which Amnesty says "security forces operated with the greatest impunity."
Even as some members of the Honduran National Police force have started refusing to follow orders to quash protests because, as a spokesperson said, they "don't want to repress and violate the rights of the Honduran people," the violence has persisted.
"Honduras seems to be on a very dangerous free fall where ordinary people are the victims of reckless and selfish political games," said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International. "Evidence shows that there is no space for people in Honduras to express their opinions. When they do, they come face to face with the full force of the government's repressive apparatus."
Amnesty International sent a delegation to Tegucigalpa, the Honduran capitol, following the Nov. 26 election to meet with activists, victims of violence, and police officers. The group has "documented a plethora of human rights violations against protesters and other people" as well as at least 14 deaths since the protests broke out after the election.
Guevara-Rosas urged the Honduran government to "start undoing some of the many wrongs documented in recent days" by "halting all use of illegitimate or excessive force against protesters by security forces, ending arbitrary detentions, and investigating all instances of human rights violations."
In an exclusive interview with Democracy Now!, Manuel Zelaya--who was ousted by a U.S.-backed coup in 2009--urged protesters to maintain their presence in the streets, and called on Hernandez and the Honduran government to count the votes. The former president says the protesters "know that [leftist coalition leader] Salvador Nasralla won the election," but Hernandez, a "reliable" U.S. ally, has remained in power because of U.S. influence over Honduran institutions.
"Since the coup d'etat, the United States has done what it wants with this country," Zelaya said. "They changed all the laws. This is a military state, with laws like Plan Colombia, like the laws in Iraq and Afghanistan. That is what's happening in Honduras. And they've done away with guarantees and with respect. What's being done in this country is unjust."
Watch:
As Honduras' right-wing government continues to crack down on dissenting voices amid widespread violence and national protests over allegations of election fraud in last month's presidential election, Amnesty International is calling on officials to immediately stop "deploying dangerous and illegal tactics to silence any dissenting voices," while the nation's former president blames the United States, which backed the 2009 coup that ousted him from power, for creating "a military state."
"Evidence shows that there is no space for people in Honduras to express their opinions. When they do, they come face to face with the full force of the government's repressive apparatus."
--Erika Guevara-Rosas, Amnesty International
Efforts to silence opponents of incumbent President Juan Orlando Hernandez have continued, as protesters pour into the streets in spite of a government-imposed curfew, under which Amnesty says "security forces operated with the greatest impunity."
Even as some members of the Honduran National Police force have started refusing to follow orders to quash protests because, as a spokesperson said, they "don't want to repress and violate the rights of the Honduran people," the violence has persisted.
"Honduras seems to be on a very dangerous free fall where ordinary people are the victims of reckless and selfish political games," said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International. "Evidence shows that there is no space for people in Honduras to express their opinions. When they do, they come face to face with the full force of the government's repressive apparatus."
Amnesty International sent a delegation to Tegucigalpa, the Honduran capitol, following the Nov. 26 election to meet with activists, victims of violence, and police officers. The group has "documented a plethora of human rights violations against protesters and other people" as well as at least 14 deaths since the protests broke out after the election.
Guevara-Rosas urged the Honduran government to "start undoing some of the many wrongs documented in recent days" by "halting all use of illegitimate or excessive force against protesters by security forces, ending arbitrary detentions, and investigating all instances of human rights violations."
In an exclusive interview with Democracy Now!, Manuel Zelaya--who was ousted by a U.S.-backed coup in 2009--urged protesters to maintain their presence in the streets, and called on Hernandez and the Honduran government to count the votes. The former president says the protesters "know that [leftist coalition leader] Salvador Nasralla won the election," but Hernandez, a "reliable" U.S. ally, has remained in power because of U.S. influence over Honduran institutions.
"Since the coup d'etat, the United States has done what it wants with this country," Zelaya said. "They changed all the laws. This is a military state, with laws like Plan Colombia, like the laws in Iraq and Afghanistan. That is what's happening in Honduras. And they've done away with guarantees and with respect. What's being done in this country is unjust."
Watch:
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy