RCT and OMCT urge the UN to take urgent action in relation to the human rights violations in Honduras

Since the coup d’État in Honduras, the RCT and OMCT have received a series of credible reports of gross human rights violations, notably killings, torture, ill-treatment, arbitrary detention and “disappearance” of students, human rights defenders and others in connection with peaceful demonstrations against the coup. The reports come from RCT’s long-standing partner organization in Honduras, Centro de Prevención, Tratamiento y Rehabilitación de las Victimas de la Tortura y sus Familiares (CPTRT) as well as from OMCT members and partner organizations in Honduras.

The RCT and the OMCT urge the Special Rapporteurs and the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to take urgent action by calling upon the de facto government of Honduras to cease the serious violations of human rights, including the killing of civilians and the assaults against human rights defenders, to restore justice and the rule of law, and to guarantee respect for human rights and fundamental liberties in Honduras.

The requests have been sent to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Professor Manfred Nowak, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights Defenders, Ms. Margaret Sekaggya, the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions, Professor Philip Alston, and to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

The letters and the reports from the CPTRT are available on RCT’s website, www.rct.dk

For further information:
RCT: advocacy coordinator Tue Magnussen, +45 22 44 43 95, communications officer Simon Ankjærgaard, +45 36 93 86 56, or Jan Ole Haagensen, head of RCT’s International Department, +45 36 93 86 05.
OMCT: urgent campaign coordinator, Alexandra Kossin, +41 22 809 49 39