[{"bbox": [96, 153, 1134, 287], "category": "Text", "text": "right to a fair trial. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic deepened structural problems, such as unjustified delays in judicial processes and reduced publicity of hearings, problems that persist at the same level to date. Institutional weakness coupled with pervasive corruption – in an all-time low Honduras ranks 157 out of 180 countries in the 2020 Corruption Perception Index–, continue to cripple governance and to widen the gap between government and civil society,⁴"}, {"bbox": [96, 311, 1135, 658], "category": "Text", "text": "The **Public Prosecutor's Office** faces significant challenges related to **material and human capacity** to investigate, prosecute and bring to judgment cases, particularly in cases of human rights violations perpetrated by the military and other security forces. Serious human rights violations, such as enforced disappearances, extrajudicial executions and torture committed in the context of the national security doctrine of the eighties, the 2009 coup d'état and 2017 post-electoral crisis have remained in total impunity. Investigation capacities present serious weaknesses, related to a lack of specialisation and appropriate training of prosecutors, poor working conditions and insufficient capacities to produce, interpret and use scientific evidence, among others. The **Forensic Medicine Directorate** (*Dirección de Medicina Forense*) remains part of the Public Prosecutor's Office, contrary to international standards. In addition, prosecutors often face difficulties working and coordinating with police investigators, which are part of the National Police, which negatively impacts the timeliness and quality of investigations. The **Police Investigation Directorate** (*Dirección Policial de Investigaciones* - DPI) has high level staff turnover and investigators lack specialisation, particularly on gender-based violence, LGBTIQ+ and rights of human rights defenders, further contributing to the high levels of impunity."}, {"bbox": [96, 682, 1134, 791], "category": "Text", "text": "Another important challenge is **the limited participation of victims in criminal proceedings**. In particular, legal representatives of victims have difficulties to intervene during the investigation stage, limiting the possibility to contribute to investigations and have timely access to information. Victims often have difficulties lodging a complaint to the Public Prosecutors Office or the Police, including due to general distrust in both institutions."}, {"bbox": [96, 815, 1134, 897], "category": "Text", "text": "The **lack of protection for justice operators** (judges, prosecutors, lawyers, etc.) who are at risk of murder, threats, intimidation and interference is an important factor that affects their work and limits their independence and impartiality. Such factors have negatively impacted the levels of trust by the population in the justice system."}, {"bbox": [96, 921, 1134, 1188], "category": "Text", "text": "Finally, the **penitentiary system** faces structural problems, such as overcrowding, related among others factors to the high number of persons in pre-trial detention (around 50% of the penitentiary population), procedural delays and lack of public defense capacities to follow the situation of each detainee. The elevated number of prisoners who could benefit of an early release and cannot access because of the lack of legal counseling services is particularly worrisome. The penitentiary system retains a punitive approach and has not been able to initiate its transform towards rehabilitation and social reintegration. The decision taken by President Castro in June 2023 to return the management and control of prisons under the military police increased the risk of the use of excessive use of force and ill-treatment against prisoners, as well as the negatively impacted prison living conditions such as hygiene, quality and availability of water, lack of food, limited sleeping arrangements, lack of access to health care and prolonged detention in cells with no access to natural light and ventilated air."}, {"bbox": [96, 1212, 983, 1240], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2. Lack of adaptation of the normative framework to international human rights standards"}, {"bbox": [96, 1265, 1134, 1401], "category": "Text", "text": "As part of the nine-core international human rights conventions, Honduras is bound to the recommendations of the respective treaty mechanism, including those specifically relevant to fair trial and access to justice (particularly for women and human rights defenders). The Inter-American Court of Human Rights has also issued several sentences with specific recommendations for strengthening the justice system in Honduras, most of which are still pending implementation."}, {"bbox": [96, 1424, 1134, 1585], "category": "Text", "text": "Existing legislation does not fully comply with **international human rights standards**, regarding victims' rights, protection of women against gender-based violence and investigation capacities on corruption. In the Honduran criminal process, the victim has the right to participate directly in the process through a “private prosecutor” starting from the initial hearing, while the General Prosecutor's Office oversees the investigation and the prosecution. However, the participation of victim's private prosecutor is denied during the investigation process, impacting negatively the right of victims to be informed on the whereabouts of the investigation that is"}, {"bbox": [85, 1621, 241, 1643], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁴ MIP Honduras"}, {"bbox": [1038, 1681, 1143, 1706], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 7 of 27"}]