Honduras: LGBT human rights defender beaten and assaulted in police custody
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Presidente Manuel Zelaya Rosales
Presidente de la República,
Casa Presidencial,
Boulevard Juan Pablo Segundo,
Tegucigalpa,
Honduras
Dear President Rosales,
I am deeply concerned at the arrest and abuse of Donny Reyes in police custody. On 18 March 2007, at 03.00 am, Donny Reyes was accompanying a female colleague, while she waited for a taxi outside the Arcoiris offices, when six police officers approached them and demanded ID papers. Donny Reyes showed them his identity card but they ordered him into the car. He refused to do so. Minutes later, they began to beat him saying, “We have to clear these queers from here” and forced him into the car.
At Comayagüela police station, Donny Reyes was put in a cell with 57 prisoners and a police officer said to them “I’ve brought you a little princess; you know what to do”.
The prisoners beat and stripped Donny Reyes. He was then gang raped by four men. In the morning the police officers offered the prisoners freedom for a bribe of 200 lempiras (US$10).
Donny Reyes reported the incident to the Public Prosecutor’s office. There has been no progress in the case and recently the principal witness was the target of an assassination attempt.
Mr President I urge you to fully investigate this attack and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice. I further urge you to ensure that Donny Reyes and other human rights defenders in Honduras are protected and able to carry out their legitimate human rights work safely.
Yours sincerely
