Restoring the rule of law in Honduras

[Judi Lynn]

Restoring the rule of law in Honduras

Honduras wants readmission to the Organisation of American States – but how, with a supreme court that backed the coup?
Viviana Krsticevic guardian.co.uk, Thursday 12 May 2011 22.00 BST

The image of then President Manuel Zelaya in his pyjamas, being forced out of the presidential palace by the military and on to a plane bound for Costa Rica, is easy to remember. Perhaps less memorable is that the coup d'état of June 2009 was carried out with the active participation of the entire supreme court of justice as well as the attorney general of Honduras.

Zelaya's arrest was ordered by Honduras' supreme court and carried out by the armed forces. The court took no action to ensure the protection of Zelaya's rights, or those of thousands of Hondurans who were arbitrarily detained following the coup. Worse still, Honduras' highest court urged its judges to take part in a street demonstration in support of what was dubbed a "constitutional succession". Later, the court went as far as to fire a group of judges that participated in pro-democracy marches.

The dismissal of these judges was roundly and jointly condemned by the United Nations special rapporteurships on independence of judges and lawyers, promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and human rights defenders. Similar statements were made by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights at the Organisation of American States (OAS) and by the United Nations in its universal periodic review (UPR). On 14 April, the Inter-American Commission notified the judges who had been arbitrarily dismissed by the pro-coup supreme court of Honduras that their case had been admitted. In the coming months, it may indeed be submitted to the Inter-American Court.

During and since the coup, Honduras' attorney general has displayed inefficiency and bias with regard to the investigation of crimes committed against Zelaya, his cabinet, journalists, teachers, union members, opposition members and activists of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community. A blatant illustration of this is the impunity that prevails regarding the assassinations of journalists and LGBTI people since the coup d'état.

More:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/may/12/honduras-usforeignpolicy