Monday 31 May 2010

Statement from CODEH on Extrajudicial killings in Honduras

Statement from the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras (CODEH)
25 May 2010


The Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras (CODEH), to the international community and the people of Honduras, denounces the following:


1 .- MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED homicides occurred during the days of illegitimate and illegal curfew, which includes minors and women. During the time of these killings, the army and the police have had total and absolute control of the streets of this country. The homicides listed here were carried out with firearms with 5.56 mm caliber, a size that corresponds to those used by the Armed Forces of Honduras and the National Police.


2 .- That because of its characteristics and within the context of a state policy, imposed against the will of the people, we can affirm these were extrajudicial killings perpetrated by agents of the State, armed forces and police, led by the Micheletti Bain and military and police leaders.


3 .- CODEH makes the following people responsible for these extrajudicial killings and summary executions: Roberto Micheletti Bain, Romeo Vasquez Velasquez (Chief of Joint Staff of the Armed Forces), Salomon Escoto Salinas (National Police Chief), Mario Perdomo (Deputy Secretary of Security), Rodas Gamero (Secretary of Security), Luis Alberto Rubi, (Attorney General’s Office) Roy Urtecho (Prosecutor), Jorge Alberto Rivera Aviles (President of the Supreme Court of Justice) and congresspeople in National Congress who illegally approved a decree on emergency measures that diminished people’s fundamental rights, as well as justices of the Supreme Court who tolerated and allowed these practices by denying injunctions and delaying the results in other cases.


4 .- The following are the names of people who have died in connection with this illegal practice by agents of the State: Table of homicides during curfew.

5.- A team of lawyers from the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CODEH) has prepared its investigation for the Public Ministry (the Attorney General of the Republic is linked to the coup), start the investigation, order the fiscal requirements. Knowing that the measures taken by the Public Ministry can’t be exhaustive, we have contacted international lawyers, so that these cases and others that characterize crimes against humanity, have a preliminary hearing before the International Criminal Court.


6 .- CODEH is documenting each of these cases, therefore we ask the relatives who have not yet made contact with CODEH to call the following number: (504) 237-9238 or contact us via email.




Executive Commission, CODEH
WE FIGHT FOR PEACE BY DEFENDING HUMAN RIGHTS AND JUSTICE




(RATB: See also Eight journalists murdered in Honduras, 27 May 2010)