87 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS SEND LETTER TO SECRETARY CLINTON ON HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES IN HONDURAS

87 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS SEND LETTER TO SECRETARY CLINTON ON HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES IN HONDURAS

            87 Democratic Members of the House, led by U.S. Reps. Jim McGovern (MA), Jan Schakowsky (IL) and Sam Farr (CA) today sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the human rights situation in Honduras.

            This week, the Organization of American States (OAS) is meeting to consider reinstating Honduras to the OAS.

The letter cites reported abuses against journalists, campesinos, human rights defenders, labor activists, and opposition voices.   It asks Secretary Clinton and the U.S. Embassy to press the Honduran government to end abuses by official security forces and to suspend U.S. aid to the military and the police until mechanisms are in place to ensure security forces are held accountable for abuses.  It further urges that the State Department press the Honduran government to implement the measures called for by the IACHR/OAS to protect journalists and human rights defenders; denounce the violence and threats made against human rights defenders, including attacks against the non-governmental Commission of Truth; and support the rule of law by bringing to justice the perpetrators and intellectual authors of human rights abuses that have occurred since June 2009.

           "As member States prepare to meet and reinstate Honduras to the OAS, it’s important to remember that there are serious human rights issues in Honduras that urgently need to be addressed," Rep. McGovern said.