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Honduras: Protect Defenders of Gay Rights in Hondurasposted on: 2011/06/20

Across the country, human rights defenders from various organisations working on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) rights have been targeted by threats, surveillance, kidnappings, intimidation and killings. Despite these threats the defenders of the LGBTI community continue to work for progress in this extremely dangerous environment. LGBTI defenders in Honduras are doubly discriminated against. They are discriminated firstly because they are human rights defenders and secondly because they defend LGBTI rights.

So far in 2010 30 members of the LGBTI community have reportedly been killed in Honduras and there are several documented cases of LGBTI defenders fleeing the country to seek asylum because of very real threat to their lives. The campaign against the LGBTI community is becoming increasingly violent for both individuals and organisations.

These individuals and organisations put their lives at risk every day in order to promote and progress the rights of others.

A violent and aggressive culture has developed against these defenders in Honduras making it very difficult for them to carry out their work. Human rights defender working on LGBTI rights, Walter Trochez was murdered on December 13th 2009.

Join the campaign and help put an end to this.

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Honduras: Help Protect the Environmental Movement of Olancho (MAO)posted on: 2011/06/20

The Environmental Movement of Olancho (MAO) campaigns to stop the illegal and unrestricted logging that has led to soil erosion, the drying up of rivers and the further impoverishment of the people. Destructive and irresponsible logging practices have led to an environmental crisis which caused widespread contamination and led to the spread of disease in the affected region. Because their activities threaten the economic interests of the major logging companies they have been harrassed, intimidated, attacked and killed.

MAO faces major repression from the government and the military as well as the logging companies. Members, including Carlos Flores, Mauricio Hernandez, Arturo Reyes, Heraldo Zuniga and Roger Ivan Cartagena have been killed. These cases have not been investigated and the perpetrators have still to be identified. Local coordinator Rene Gradis and Padre Andres Tamayo have both survived repeated assasination attempts.

Honduras: Killing of human rights journalist Mr Héctor Francisco Medina Polancoposted on: 2011/05/13

Front Line is deeply saddened by the news of the death of human rights defender and journalist Mr Héctor Francisco Medina Polanco on 11 May 2011. A few hours before, on 10 May evening, Héctor Francisco Medina Polanco had been shot and fatally wounded on his way home from his place of work. He was the producer and host of a news programme on provincial television channel Alfa & Omega Visión in which he addressed issues such as corruption in the municipal government and land disputes.

Honduras: Human rights defenders subjected to a campaign of attacks, threats, arrests and judicial harassmentposted on: 2011/04/05

Human rights defenders, trade unionists and journalists in Honduras are facing a wave of repression as the authorities crack down on ongoing protests in support of striking teachers' unions.

Honduras: Joint Appeal - Assault and judicial harassment of human rights defender Ms Miriam Miranda Chamorro posted on: 2011/03/30

A Joint Urgent Appeal from Front Line, American Jewish World Service and Urgent Action Fund Latin America:

On 28 March 2011, human rights defender Ms Miriam Miranda Chamorro was detained for ten and a half hours by authorities in the municipality of Tela, Honduras. Miriam Miranda Chamorro is the President of the Organización Fraternal Negra Hondureña – OFRANEH an organisation which has worked since 1978 for the promotion of the Afro-Carribean Garífuna community's capacity for self-determination through programmes which support their political, social, economic and cultural advancement. She was a participant in the 2005 Dublin Platform for human rights defenders.

Honduras: Kidnapping and reported torture of human rights defender Mr Juan Ramón Chinchillaposted on: 2011/01/13

On 9 January 2011, human rights defender Mr Juan Ramón Chinchilla escaped from captivity after being kidnapped the previous day and reportedly tortured by various unidentified individuals.

Further Information

Juan Ramón Chinchilla is a member of the Executive Committee of the Frente Nacional de Resistencia Popular (National Popular Resistance Front) as a representative of the Juventudes en Resistencia (Youths in Resistance) and the Movimiento Unificado Campesino del Aguán (United Campesino Movement of Aguán) and has actively been defending the rights of campesinos in the Aguán region.

On 8 January 2011 at approximately 20:00, Juan Ramón Chinchilla was accosted and kidnapped by unknown individuals on the road to the rural settlement “La Concepción”, in the municipality of Tocoa, as he traveled by motorcycle to his house.

It is reported that as he traveled Juan Ramón Chinchilla became aware that he was being followed by another motorcycle and a car, and therefore placed a telephone call to his colleagues alerting them to the situation.

Upon nearing La Concepción, Juan Ramón Chinchilla further noted that individuals were hiding in the surrounding trees, ai

Protection for LGBTI defenders in Hondurasposted on: 2010/12/09

So far in 2010 30 members of the LGBTI community have reportedly been killed in Honduras and there are several documented cases of LGBTI fleeing the country to seek assylum because of very real threat to their lives. There have been incidents of kidnapping, surveillance,threats, harassment and intimidation. The campaign against the LGBTI community is becoming increasingly violent for both individuals and organisations. Across the country the various organisations working on LGBTI issues have been targeted by threats, surveillance and intimidation tactics. ===Further Information=== The situation in Honduras is extremely dangerous for human rights defenders generally and there have been numerous threats against prominent individual defenders who are in no way related to LGBTI activities. LGBTI defenders are doubly vulnerable because of who they are,what they do and what they represent.There have been repeated attacks on LGBTI defenders within Honduras due to the highly homophobic society in which they work. The organisation APUVIMEH which works with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex community and those affected by HIV / AIDS have suffered gravely.

Honduras: Human rights defender threatened and human rights lawyer abducted by armed gang who threatened to execute herposted on: 2010/11/05

Women human rights defenders working with the Asociación para una sociedad más justa – ASJ (Association for a more just society) have been threatened at gunpoint in two separate incidents in the past number of weeks.

Honduras: Human rights defender threatened and human rights lawyer abducted by armed gang who threatened to execute herposted on: 2010/11/05

Women human rights defenders working with the Asociación para una sociedad más justa – ASJ (Association for a more just society) have been threatened at gunpoint in two separate incidents in the past number of weeks.

Further Information

On 3 November 2010 a member of the ASJ legal team was threatened by two armed men on a motorcycle. On 19 October 2010, an ASJ human rights lawyer was abducted while waiting for a taxi outside the organisation's offices.

The lawyer who is working as a consultant for ASJ was held hostage for approximately 40 minutes during which time the men who abducted her threatened to execute her. The names of the two human rights defenders are being withheld for security reasons. These incidents form part of a recent campaign of harassment against this human rights lawyer and an ongoing campaign against other human rights lawyers working for ASJ.

On 3 November 2010, at approximately 12.30pm, the member of the ASJ legal team was sitting in her vehicle waiting to make a turn when two men approached on a blue and black motorcycle.

Help Protect the Environmental Movement of Olancho (MAO)posted on: 2010/10/18

The Environmental Movement of Olancho (MAO) campaigns to stop the illegal and unrestricted logging that has led to soil erosion, the drying up of rivers and the further impoverishment of the people. Destructive and irresponsible logging practices have led to an environmental crisis which caused widespread contamination and led to the spread of disease in the affected region. Because their activities threaten the economic interests of the major logging companies they have been harrassed, intimidated, attacked and killed. ===Further Information=== MAO faces major repression from the government and the military as well as the logging companies. Members, including Carlos Flores, Mauricio Hernandez, Arturo Reyes, Heraldo Zuniga and Roger Ivan Cartagena have been killed. These cases have not been investigated and the perpetrators have still to be identified. Local coordinator Rene Gradis and Padre Andres Tamayo have both survived repeated assasination attempts.

Honduras: Kidnapping, surveillance, threats, harassment and intimidation of members of LGBTI organisation, APUVIMEHposted on: 2010/09/02

Front Line expresses its deep concern regarding recent incidents of kidnapping, surveillance, threats, harassment and intimidation against members of the LGBTI organization Association for a Better Life (Asociación por una Vida Mejor- APUVIMEH).

Honduras: Death Threats and intimidation of human rights defender Mr Héctor Sotoposted on: 2010/08/11

Human rights defender Mr Héctor Soto has been subject to threats and intimidation as a result of his work as Director of the Grupo Sociedad Civil – GSC (Civil Society Group).

Honduras: Death threats against human rights defender Ms. Gladys Lanzaposted on: 2010/07/21

Human rights defender Ms Gladys Lanza, Coordinator of the Movimiento de Mujeres por la Paz Visitación Padilla (Honduran Women's Committee for Peace "Visitación Padilla") has been subjected to death threats and intimidation.

Honduras: Death threats against human rights defenders Father Ismael Moreno, Mr Gerardo Chévez, Ms Leticia Castellanos and Ms Luci Mendozaposted on: 2010/05/07

In the last month, human rights defenders Father Ismael Moreno ('Padre Melo'), Mr Gerardo Chévez, Ms Leticia Castellanos and Ms Luci Mendoza have reported receiving death threats in retaliation for their work in defence of human rights.

Honduras: Murder of Claudia Larissa Brizuela, daughter of human rights defender Mr Pedro Brizuelaposted on: 2010/03/04

The daughter of human rights defender Mr Pedro Brizuela , Ms Claudia Larissa Brizuela , was murdered on 24 February 2010. Pedro Brizuela is a member of the Frente Nacional de Resistencia Popular - FNRP (National Popular Resistance Front). Claudia Larissa Brizuela was also a FNRP supporter.