UN rights report documents post-election violations in Honduras News
UN rights report documents post-election violations in Honduras

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released a report [text, PDF] Monday detailing human rights violations in the aftermath of the 2017 Honduran presidential election [Reuters backgrounder]

The report documents violence committed by the government security forces towards protestors and civilians in the time period between election night on November 26 and inauguration day on January 27. According to the report, at least 1,351 people were detained during a curfew put in place during early December, and it was also reported that civilians were detained in illegal house raids. In addition, 23 people were killed and 60 were injured in post-election protests including 16 victims shot to death by security forces. There were no charges pressed for the violence.

Honduras’s election was the second since the military coup in 2009 [JURIST report]. Adding to the tension, President Juan Orlando Hernández was running for re-election after the Honduran Supreme Court removed a constitutional clause [Guardian report] preventing second terms for presidents. Given this history, the election last November was seen as volatile prior to the inconclusive election night and reported irregularities.

Hernández was declared the winner [JURIST report] on December 17 and subsequently inaugurated on January 27. The US recognized his victory while the Organization of American States (OAS) called for new elections [CNN report].