Human rights organizations oppose reintegration of Honduras into OAS
[Translation of an article from ContraPunto of San Salvador, El Salvador, for May 18. See original here and related article here.]
San Salvador – Some 20 human rights organizations with international stature have requested that Honduras’ suspension from the Organization of American States (OAS) be continued because of flaws in Honduran state institutions and respect for human rights, a statement from the Centro para la Justicia y el Derecho Internacional (CEJIL) says.
CEJIL states that “the recommendation was made in a letter sent on May 16 to the 35 ambassadors of the permanent missions of the OAS member countries, in which they are reminded that the Honduran state still has serious flaws in its democratic institutions, the rule of law and human rights.
The request was issued in view of declarations by several state representatives of the need to consider the immediate reintegration of Honduras.
“The signatory organizations indicated that Honduran democratic institutions continue to be compromised almost two years after the coup d’état of June 28, 2009. So for example high officials who supported or approved the constitutional breach, from the Supreme Court, the National Congress, the Attorney General and even the National Human Rights Commission, are still in their positions. Their tenure generates doubt about the independence and impartiality of these state organs,” says the letter distributed by CEJIL, which is headquartered in San José, Costa Rica.
They state for example that “several army officers implicated in the expulsion of former President Manuel Zelaya Rosales were nominated to leadership positions in civilian institutions during the current administration of Porfirio Lobo.”
The organizations further charged that “Honduras still has serious flaws in human rights matters. For example, the state has not adequately investigated the assassinations of journalists and defenders of human rights that have occurred during and since the constitutional breach. Nor has it adopted adequate measures to stop the threats and harassment of human rights defenders, communicators, activists and teachers, nor against the judges who demonstrated against the coup d’état.”
Tags: Centro para la Justicia y el Derecho Internacional, Honduras, human rights organizations, Manuel Zelaya, Organization of American States, Porfiro Lobo, reintegration