Human Rights in Honduras - http://www.derechos.org/nizkor/honduras/ HONDURAS: COVER UP OF TORTURER/ENCUBRIMIENTO DE TORTURADOR The Human Rights Actions Network - Derechos Human Rights http://www.derechos.org/human-rights/actions/ Casa Alianza YOUR RAPID RESPONSE IS REQUESTED IN THE FOLLOWING SITUATION PLEASE. HOW WOULD WE FEEL IF IT WAS OUR SON WHO HAD BEEN TORTURED...? YOUR VOICE REALLY DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE: --------------------------------- April 30th, 1997 HONDURAN GOVERNMENT RESTORES COMAYAGUA PRISON DIRECTOR INDICTED FOR TORTURING CHILDREN In a startling move that has shocked human rights defenders, the Honduran Ministry of the Interior and Justice has recently reinstated the Director of the Comayagua jail who was released on bail having been jailed for the torture of at least three children and one adult in the prison he directs. The Comayagua prison Director, Aquilino Sorto, was arrested last month accused of the November 1995 torture of at least three minors who were being illegally detained together with adults in the same prison cells. Sorto ordered the minors to be taken to the punishment cell where, according to witnesses, they had their hands tied or handcuffed behind their backs and they were hung up on the wall by their wrists, their feet off the ground. After a significant outcry of protest against the treatment, on December 26th, 1995, the Ministry of the Interior and Justice sent a Commission to the prison, together with the Appeals Court Judge to "investigate" the accusations. After speaking with some of the prisoners - but none of the victims of torture - they reported that the accusations were "fabricated". No other action was taken. Casa Alianza, a private organisation that provides rehabilitation services for hundreds of Honduran street children, continued to pressure for an investigation, having been informed that forensic exams of some of the tortured children did exist and corroborated the declarations of the children. International human rights organisations joined the push for transparency. In February of this year, Sorto was arrested and formally accused of "abusing his responsibilities under the Honduran Constitution", as torture has not been typified as a criminal offence under the Honduran Criminal Code. After spending several weeks in a police jail, Sorto was released on bail and was allowed to return to his post as Director of the Comayagua jail. "This basically means that any investigations that the Attorney General's Office may have tried to make in the prison to collect evidence and witnesses accounts of the torture will be blocked by the Director of the prison - the accused. Any prisoner will be scared to say anything as we have all seen what the consequences are.", explained Gustavo Escoto, Co-ordinator of the Honduran Casa Alianza's Legal Aid Office. The Fiscal in charge of the accusations against the prison director, Aldo Santos, wrote to the Minister of the Interior and Justice, Efrain Moncada, requesting that the Director be temporarily suspended from his position to allow a thorough investigation of the charges, but has not received any response. The Fiscal then contacted the Director of the 24 jails in Honduras, and was told that Sorto "would not be separated from his position". "This move by the Ministry of the Interior and Justice hardly reflects an attitude of wanting to clarify the accusations against Sorto, it seems like we are just continuing the reign of impunity" stated Escoto. "It is important for the government to remember that the State of Honduras is under a ruling of the Inter American Commission on Human Rights to prosecute those responsible for the illegal detention of children together with adults. Not only are they disobeying the Commissions order, but now they are covering up the torture of children inside the prisons". ------------------ PLEASE send a short, polite message to Dr. Leo Valladares, Commissioner of Human Rights in Honduras, (please note that after the letter "h" is the NUMBER one), expressing your concern for the lack of transparency in this case, and requesting the temporary suspension of the Director of the Comayagua jail to allow for in depth investigations. Please send copies to: ,, ,