Asked by: Andy Sawford (Labour (Co-op) - Corby)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the threat to human rights defenders and journalists in Honduras.
Answered by Lord Swire
The Government attaches great importance to the support of human rights and democracy around the world. The human rights situation in Honduras is undoubtedly of concern, particularly in regard to human rights defenders and journalists, who have been known to face particular threats. The limited investigative capacity of judicial institutions in Honduras means it is often difficult to determine who is responsible for such crimes. However, Her Majesty's Ambassador to Honduras set out in a recent statement to mark Press Freedom Day on 3 May, the British Government is working to support the efforts of the Honduran Attorney General's Office and other institutions to tackle impunity human rights abuses, including crimes perpetrated against journalists and human rights defenders.
Asked by: Andy Sawford (Labour (Co-op) - Corby)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the President of Honduras about human rights abuses in Honduras.
Answered by Lord Swire
The Government has consistantly engaged with Honduran authorities on the issue of human rights. Soon after the new President of Honduras took office in January this year, representatives from the British Embassy met senior Honduran officials, including the Attorney General and the Commissioner for Human Rights. Our Embassy has since continued this dialogue with the appropriate Honduran authorities, including raising specific cases highlighted by a number of non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Most recently, Her Majesty's Ambassador wrote to the newly appointed Human Rights Ombudsman and the Attorney General to highlight our ongoing human rights concerns. An official from the Crown Prosecution Service also travelled to Honduras in February to assess whether UK expertise can be used in support of EU work, to develop capacity in tackling impunity for human rights violations and abuses.