LGBT Deaths Plague Already-Murder-Ridden Honduras

The country of Honduras is plagued by unsolved LGBT murders with little or no response from police, reports Paul Canning on the nonprofit site Care 2. “There is total impunity, [with] no murder solved,” explains activist Donis Reyes of Asociacion Arcoiris (Rainbow Association)

The Central American nation has one of the highest murder rates in the world, with an average of 20 homicides per day in  first half of 2011. Human-rights groups say that there have been 54 LGBT murders since January 2010, but that relatively small number is  still worrisome because those killed are often the victim of  political persecution, as opposed to random violence or economic crime.

The 2009 murder of queer activist Walter Tróchez, who had been attacked and threatened numerous times, for example, garnered global attention and an outcry from Amnesty International. Earlier this year, queer activist groups asked the Public Ministry to begin investigating the murders in earnest.

The U.S. Embassy has weighed in on the situation as well, saying:

“The protection of Honduran law extends to all its citizens regardless of sexual orientation… We call upon Honduran law enforcement authorities to vigorously investigate these crimes, bring to justice the perpetrators, and take all necessary steps to protect LGBT persons, who are among the most vulnerable to violence and abuse.”

In December, a 23-year-old trans woman was found stoned to death, burned and possibly raped in the city of Comayagüela.  “Homophobia is a reprehensible act from every point of view when it is an individual doing it,” said Human Rights Minister Ana Pineda, “but [it’s] even worse when it is because of an action or lack thereof by a state servant.”
Image via EnsentidoContrario.com