Estonia warmly welcomes the delegation of the Republic of Honduras to the UPR.
We thank Honduras for their work in preparing the report presented earlier.
Estonia commends Honduras for several positive steps taken since the previous UPR. Progress has been made in strengthening its institutions in the field of human rights, as repeatedly recommended in the second cycle and welcomes the adoption of SIMOREH, a pioneering online tool for monitoring human rights.
We note positively that a separate Ministry of Human Rights was created, an Office of the UN OHCHR inaugurated, the Offices of Special Prosecutor for Human Rights and for Protection of Human Right Defenders, Journalists and Social Communicators was established and an Inter-institutional Committee monitoring investigations of violent deaths of women and femicides was set up. We look forward to positive developments in these fields.
We are, however, deeply concerned that despite the adoption and implementation of the Law of Protection and establishment of the National Protection Mechanism, the situation of human rights defenders and journalists has even worsened and impunity of violent acts is rather common.
Estonia would like to make the following recommendations to the Government of Honduras:
- Take prompt action to end violence against women, including domestic, sexual and gender-based violence and femicides, and ensure full accountability for such acts.
- Ensure full respect and protection to the freedom of expression that remains limited in Honduras and end all forms of violence against journalists and human rights defenders.
- Stop misusing criminal law for prosecuting, paralysing and delegitimising the work of human right defenders.
We wish the delegation of Honduras a successful review meeting.
Thank You!