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Amid a string of complaints of police abuse, the possibility of a seventeenth extension of the state of emergency in Honduras is up in the air, experts say.
For the vice president of the National Congress (CN) and presidential candidate for the ruling Liberty and Refoundation Party (Libre), Rasel Tomé , the ability to combat extortion and organized crime is part of the bills to pay.
He went on to say that extortion and violence are the essence of the state of emergency , although the results of this measure in terms of the decrease in the homicide rate cannot be ignored.
Criminal lawyer German Licona, for his part, said that the government was more dedicated to selling figures on arrests without caring about the legal cost to obtain them.
“In the end there are always some -police officers- who act outside the law and I believe that this is not in accordance with the procedures and norms established by the country’s penal system,” he said.
Testimonies of police abuse are pouring in , from illegal raids to plant false evidence, to torture and sexual assault, as reported in a comprehensive report by journalists in Central America.
State of emergency in Honduras
The last extension of the state of emergency was at the beginning of October for a period of 45 days, meaning it would be valid until November 16, 2024 in 226 of the country’s 298 municipalities.
The state of emergency was implemented in response to increasing violence and crime, particularly in response to problems such as extortion, contract killings and kidnapping.
However, the policy has faced severe criticism for its negative impact on human rights and its ineffectiveness in reducing crime, analysts say.
International bodies, including the U.S. State Department and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, say abuses have been reported while the measure was in place.
Local experts and activists also warn that the continuation of these policies, without a comprehensive and preventive approach, could perpetuate the security problems they seek to eradicate.
