Alerts and statements

In the framework of LGTBI+ Pride Month, the international organisations Front Line Defenders and Peace Brigades International (PBI) want to express their concern about the risks faced by human rights defenders of the LGTBI+ community in Honduras. Both organisations have observed a tendency towards an increase in attacks at times of greater visibility for the LGTBI+ community, such as LGTBI+ Pride Day. Therefore, Front Line Defenders and PBI call for national and international solidarity and support for the protection of those who defend the rights of sexual diversity.

PBI and other organisations want to express our greatest concerns over recent debates and proposals to freeze all activities of the European Parliament’s Human Rights Subcommittee (DROI) and to stop all urgency resolutions, in reaction to allegations of corruption known as “Qatargate”.

The organisations Front Line Defenders and Peace Brigades International (PBI) are deeply concerned about the continued increase in violence in the form of attacks, assassination attempts and acts of discrimination against LGBTI+ human rights defenders in Honduras. They are particularly concerned that the escalation of attacks will intensify in the coming weeks, in the context of the celebration of LGBTI+ Pride Day on 28 June 2022.

Peace Brigades International (PBI) in Honduras want to recognize and support the work of defenders of the land, territory and the environment and their essential role in a context marked by the humanitarian crisis generated by COVID-19 and the passage of hurricanes ETA and IOTA. The defence of forests, water sources, and access to land as a source of livelihood all contribute to the responsible governance of land distribution on a community level, the prevention of natural disasters like and the global fight against climate change.

From PBI Honduras we show our concern about the continuous increase in attacks against members of the LGTBIQ+ community, especially trans women. Likewise, we want to draw attention to its historical situation of vulnerability increased during the COVID19 health emergency and in which the LGTBIQ+ group has not been considered as a priority by the Government to receive government aid. A vulnerability that is reflected, among other human rights violations, in the transfeminicide of the defense of human rights and member of the Rainbow LGBT Association Scarlet Cambel.
 

PBI Honduras is extremely concerned over the high number of attacks against trans women and individuals who defend trans rights, as well as the impunity that has continued in these cases. We are particularly concerned by the security situation of the members of the Muñecas Trans Women’s Collective of Arcoiris LGBT Association, which has experienced an increase in attacks and assaults over the last six months.

PBI Honduras express a deep concern over the alarming increase in attacks experienced by LGBTQI+ human rights defenders living in Honduras, especially by those who defend the rights of trans women and of the trans community in general. Concretely, we are deeply concerned about the situation of the members of the “Muñecas” Trans Women’s Group of Asociación Arcoiris, which PBI has accompanied since 2015, and which works to defend and promote the rights of the trans community.

The EU-LAT network and CIDSE together made up of more than 57 European and internataional organizations, echoing the requests of COPINH and backed by representatives of the European Parliament, demand justice, remembrance and the guarantee of non-repetition for Berta Cáceres, as well as for the defense of human rights in Honduras and throughout Latin America.

The aim of this Alert is to draw the international community’s attention to the exponential increase in security incidents reported by human rights defenders since the Honduran presidential elections held on November 26th. Furthermore, PBI Honduras reiterates concerns expressed by the international community regarding actions taken by Honduras’ highly militarised state security forces and the number of victims reported since the election.

Peace Brigades International (PBI) is observing with serious concern the situation in Honduras in the days following the general elections that took place on November 26th, 2017. Since then, both national and international civil society organizations have expressed their concern surrounding the tense climate generated due to the lack of definitive presidential results.