Washington (March 29, 2018) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today urged the State Department to increase pressure on the Honduran government to uphold the fundamental human rights of all its citizens, including those who exercise their rights to protest. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights recently released a report detailing alleged human rights violations that took place in the post-electoral context between voting day on November 26, 2017 and January 27, 2018. The report documents that elements of the security forces, especially the military police and the army used excessive force, including lethal force to control and disperse protesters. In his letter, Senator Markey asks the State Department to verify that U.S. assistance has not been used by the Honduran authorities to commit human rights violations. 

“From the public reports, statements from the United Nations and accounts from Massachusetts residents who have travelled to Honduras, the human rights situation appears to continue to deteriorate,” writes Senator Markey in the letter to Principal Assistant Deputy Secretary Francisco Palmieri.  “These alleged abuses are inconsistent with the principles of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.”

A copy of Senator Markey’s letter can be found HERE.

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