Honduras: 2015 Human Rights Report

The most serious human rights problems were corruption, intimidation, and institutional weakness of the justice system leading to widespread impunity; unlawful and arbitrary killings and other criminal activities by members of the security forces; and harsh and at times life-threatening prison conditions.Other human rights problems included lengthy pretrial detention and failure to provide due process of law; threats from criminal elements against journalists, bloggers, human rights defenders, judicial authorities, and lawyers; violence against and harassment of women; child abuse; trafficking in persons, including child prostitution; human smuggling, including of unaccompanied children; encroachment on indigenous lands and discrimination against indigenous and Afro-descendent communities; violence against and harassment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) persons; ineffective enforcement of labor laws; and child labor.The government took some steps to prosecute and punish officials who committed abuses, including arresting and charging members of Congress, judges, prosecutors, mayors and other local authorities, and police officers, but corruption, intimidation, and the poor functioning of the justice system contributed to widespread impunity. Civilian authorities arrested and investigated members of security forces alleged to have committed human rights abuses. Impunity, however, remained a serious problem, with prosecution in some cases of military and police officials charged with human rights violations moving too slowly or remaining inconclusive.