HONDURAS: COFADEH REPORT, 43 KILLED & COUNTING
March 1, 2010
BELOW

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DELEGATION TO GUATEMALA, APRIL 17-25:  Mining companies *versus* Community development, environmental justice & human rights (For information: info@rightsaction.org)
SPEAKING TOURS, ONTARIO (CANADA) & EASTERN USA:  “Re-founding the Honduran society & State” & “Community resistance to harmful mining in Guatemala & Honduras” (To host an event: info@rightsaction.org)
DELEGATION TO HONDURAS, JUNE 26-JULY 4:  First anniversary of June 28, 2009 oligarchic-military coup against the elected government (For information: info@rightsaction.org)
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RIGHTS ACTION INFORMATION:  Annie Bird, Washington DC, annie@rightsaction.org, 202-470-6075; Grahame Russell, Connecticut, info@rightsaction.org, 860-352-2448

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COMMENTARY: QUIXOTE CENTRE (www.quixote.org) & RIGHTS ACTION (www.rightsaction.org)
This is a list of confirmed political murders since the coup d’état was carried out in Honduras in June 2009. It has been carefully prepared by COFADEH, as a part of their Third Report of human rights violations since the coup.
They have included in their report only killings and deaths that COFADEH staff have directly investigated and confirmed as related to the resistance movement and the coup.
It is widely understood in Honduras that the number of politically motivated killings is much higher than those listed here, but there are many factors which contribute to a reporting of fewer deaths.

The purpose of the selective assassinations, as a tactic of State repression which continues in Honduras, is to instill fear in anyone who dares to stand up against the coup or who continues to resist the false ‘restoration of normalcy’ which is the position and argument of the Pepe Lobo government and the military regime that was behind the coup. Often family members and friends who denounce acts of repression or an assassination become targets for further repression themselves, such as the father of Isis Obed Murillo who faced charges and spent time in jail for speaking out about his son's death.
Other deaths that occurred since June 28, 2009, that are not included in COFADEH's list, are cases wherein an individual, not directly involved in the resistance movement, was murdered by the military and police, or assassinated on the street during a military curfew imposed by the regime.
As a result, the actual number of people killed by the regime and death squads since the coup is certainly higher than the 43 cases reported here.
Unfortunately, this list will continue to grow as the regime continues to target, capture and torture resistance movement members. 'Normalcy' has not been achieved in Honduras despite what the Pepe Lobo government - supported by the U.S. and Canadian governments - wants the international community to believe.
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REGISTRY OF POLITICALLY MOTIVATED VIOLENT KILLINGS IN HONDURAS, JUNE 2009 – FEBRUARY 2010
SUMMARY by COFADEH (Comité de Familiares de Detenidos Desaparecidos en Honduras)
(Translated by Quixote Center, www.quixote.org)
[Date / Name / Age / Place]
1- 07/03/2009, GABRIEL FINO NORIEGA, 51, San Juan Pueblo, Tela, Atlántida
Journalist Gabriel Fino Noriega was murdered by men in a black vehicle who fired seven shots at him, on the afternoon of July 3rd, as he left a news program at Radio Estelar in San Juan Pueblo. At the time, he was reporting on the popular referendum promoted by the Office of the President, protests against the coup d’état, and denunciations of those supporting the coup.
2- 07/05/2009, ISIS OBED MURILLO MENCIAS, 19, Toncontín Airport, Comayagüela, Francisco Morazán
Isis, a young man from Santa Crúz de Guayape, Olancho, was murdered on Sunday, July 5th at a protest against the coup d’état at the Toncontín airport, which he attended with his family.  Army officers opened machine gun fire against thousands of people who were concentrated near the tarmac.  Isis Obed was shot in the head and died immediately.
3- 07/05/2009, ANASTASIO BARRERA, 55, Jardín Clonal of San Juan Pueblo, Tela, Atlántida
Anastasio, a campesino member of the Good Samaritan Cooperatives of Jardín Clonal of San Juan Pueblo, was kidnapped on July 5th by hooded men who broke into his home at 9pm. Six days later his decomposed body was found in a place called the Molera in the municipality of Tela. Anastasio had participated in protests against the coup in San Juan Pueblo.
4- 7/11/2009, ROGER BADOS, Colonia 6 de mayo, Rivera Hernández sector, San Pedro Sula, Cortés
Roger, a member of the Bloque Popular, collaborator with the School for Methodology of the National Resistance Front, and former SITRATEXHONSA union leader, was assassinated July 11 by an unknown person riding a bicycle, who came to his house in the May 6 neighborhood, Rivera Hernández sector in San Pedro Sula, claiming to be looking for one of his nephews.  When Roger turned to enter his home, the unknown person shot him three times in the back and side. His sister and the wife of the nephew were also injured in the incident.
5- 7/25/2009, PEDRO MAGDIEL SALVADOR MUÑOZ, 24, Alauca, El Paraíso
Pedro was a member of the resistance movement against the coup.  He was found dead at 6:30am near the Beneficio Agrícola at the turn-off from Paraíso to Alauca. Forensics said that his body showed signs of torture and had 42 bullet wounds.
6- 7/12/2009, MOISES GARCÍA GÓMEZ, 40, Callejones, Santa Bárbara
Moises was forced to get out of the collective transport vehicle in which he was traveling in the Callejones sector of the western department of Santa Bárbara. The information was confirmed by Union Democratica leader, Renán Valdés, who says that "he was forced off of the bus by unknown individuals".
7- 7/30/2009, ROGER ABRAHAM VALLEJO SORIANO, 38, Zona Belén, Comayagüela, Francisco Morazán
Roger, a secondary school teacher and member of Copemh, was shot in the face when he attempted to escape brutal repression that occurred in Durazno. He was transferred to the Hospital Escuela, and died on August 1st from the injury. Professor Vallejo worked at the San Martín Institute in Tegucigalpa.  An eyewitness observed that a State agent, in the back of a preventative police pick-up patrol truck, fired in the direction of protestors as the driver made a u-turn at high velocity in front of the Belén market.  At this moment, Vallejo was mortally wounded.
8- 08/02/2009, PEDRO PABLO HERNANDEZ, 54, Jutiapa, Jamastrán, El Paraiso
Pedro, a worker, died at 5:30 p.m. in the bypass to Jutiapa in the Jamastran valley, when an Army officer, First Sergeant Fredy Flores assigned to the Ninth Infantry Battalion, fired on the vehicle in which he was traveling as it crossed a military checkpoint.
9- 08/09/2009, JUAN GABRIEL FIGUEROA TOME, 30, La Platanera, Choloma, Cortés
Juan was a member of the resistance from the López Arellano neighborhood of Choloma Cortes.  He was found dead in the sector known as La Platanera, with typical signs of summary execution on August 9, 2009.  He had been shot in the neck and thorax.
10- O8/22/2009, JONATAN OSORIO, 16, Colonia Oscar A. Flores, Comayagüela, Francisco Morazán
Jonathan was a member of the Democratic Unification Party youth organization, secondary school student and member of the resistance against the coup.  He was killed on the evening of August 22, 2009, when two subjects approached him in front of his home in the Oscar A. Flores neighborhood, fired shots into his head and fled into the darkness of night.
11- 09/17/2009, FELIX ORLANDO MURILLO LOPEZ, 37, Boulevard frente a Colonia San Ángel, Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán
Feliz was a middle school teacher.  He was killed the night of September 17, 2009, when he was returning to his home in the Colonia Guaymuras. He was hit by an unidentified truck.  Wounded, he was taken to the Hospital Escuela, where de died at 3:00am, September 18.  His wife and brothers found his corpse in the Medicina Forense del Ministerio Publico morgue, on September 19.
12- 09/18/2009, Rubén Estrada, Comayagüela, Francisco Morazán
Ruben was a secondary school teacher at the Saúl Jiménez and San Martín Institute and was killled in a bar in Comayagüela.  He lived in the La Cañada neighborhood.
13- 09/22/2009, ELVIS JACOBO PERDOMO EUCEDA, 18, Las Colinas, aldea El Carmen, San Pedro Sula, Cortés
Elvis worked selling firewood in his community.  On the afternoon of Sept. 22, he was riding his bicycle on his way to play soccer when, according to eyewitnesses, he passed the parked police patrol M110- 6.  As he passed the vehicle, the boy yelled “Golpista” at them.  In response, a police officer got out of the patrol car with his official firearm, and fired two shots into the boy’s back and head.  The youth was 70 meters from the patrol car and died immediately.
14- 09/22/2009, FRANCISCO ALVARADO, 65, Colonia Flor del Campo, Comayagüela, Francisco Morazán
Francisco died from a bullet wound inflicted by police agents.  At 7pm he was on his way to a nearby store.  Police and military were controlling the neighborhood after residents had protested, repressing people who were still in the streets.  Police shot at him without warning.  Police tried to impede his wake on September 23, at the Capilla Ardiente, arguing that there was a state of siege and threatening one of his brothers.
15- 09/22/2009, WENDY ELIZABETH AVILA, 24
Wendy died as a result of bronchial spasms in the Hospital Escuela in Tegucigalpa, on Sept. 26th after inhaling chemicals from tear gas bombs that were fired in front of the Embassy of Brazil, Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán, to disperse the crowd that had come to support the return of President Zelaya. Wendy was a member of the resistance – as is her husband.
16- 09/23/2009, JAIRO SANCHEZ, Colonia Vista Hermosa, Comayagüela, Francisco Morazán
Jairo was President of SITRAINFOP and coordinator of the Resistencia in the San Francisco neighborhood.  At approximately 11.30am two police officers on motorcycle patrol opened fire on a group of protestors who had taken the main street connecting several neighborhoods in the north of Comayagüela at the intersection of the Vista Hermosa Centro neighborhood.  Jairo was shot in the face.
17- September, unidentified man, Silin, Colón
18- 30/09/2009, OLGA OSIRIS UCLES, 35, Boulevard Morazán, Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán
Olga, a member of the Resistance against the coup, died three days after inhaling tear gas during police and military repression in front of Radio Globo. She died at 6:15pm on October 3rd from pulmonary congestion. She had been in respiratory crisis since Sept. 30.
19- 10/02/2009, MARIO FIDEL CONTRERAS MONCADA, 50, Colonia San Ángel, Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán
Professor Contreras was an active member of the Honduran College of Secondary School Teachers and member of the Resistance Front against the coup.  He participated in protests organized by FOMH. On October 2, he was the victim of an attempt on his life and did not survive. At 8:30am, a young, thin person followed him and then fired on him.  The assailant then ran towards the Boulevard of the Armed Forces where he was picked up by a second subject on a motorcycle.
20- 10/02/2009, MATEO ANTONIO LEIVA, 50, Aldea Los Conculuncos, Zacapa, Santa Bárbara
Mateo was a member of the Resistance against the coup in the western part of the country. He was murdered on October 2, by three masked men, dressed in black, who fired on him 16 times.  He was with his wife, Basilia Álvarez, in the village of Conculuncos, municipality of Zacapa, Santa Bárbara at the time of the killing.
21- 10/19/2009, Marco Antonio Martínez Lezama, 47, La Libertad Park, Comayagüela, Francisco Morazán
Marco, a coordinator for the Resistencia in the Divanna neighborhood of Comayagüela, was found dead on a bench in the La Libertad Park.
22- 10/19/2009, SERGIO ELISEO JUAREZ HERNANDEZ, 44, Sabanetas and Macuelizo, Santa Bárbara
Sergio, an elementary School teacher and environmental advocate in the western part of the country, was assassinated on Monday, October 19th at 7am when he was driving between Sabanetas and Macuelizo, Santa Bárbara.  An unknown person fired seven shots into his face and skull.  Shells from 40mm and 9mm weapons were found at the murder site.
23- 11/18/2009, Félix Noel Hernández, 30, Juticalpa, Olancho
Felix was killed in an attempt on the life of the coordinator of the Resistance movement, Ulises Sarmiento Galindo, in Juticalpa, Olanchoo.
24- 11/18/20099, José Blas Romero Caballero, 25, Juticalpa, Olancho
Jose was killed in an attempt on the life of the coordinator de la Resistance movement, Ulises Sarmiento Galindo, in Juticalpa, Olancho.
25- 11/23/2009, Gradis Espinal, 56, Aldea La Felicidad, Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán
Gradis was kidnapped from the beltway and murdered, execution style, the same day in the village La Felicidad, in Tegucigalpa.
26- 11/28/2009, Ángel Salgado, 32, El Obelisco Park, Comayagüela, Francisco Morazán
Angel was killed by soldiers assigned to the Joint High Command in the Obelisco Park of Comayagüela.
27-31, 12/06/2009, Isaac Coello (24), Roger Reyes (22), Kenneth Rosa (23), Gabriel Parrales y Marcos Vinicio Matute (39), Colonia Villanueva, Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán
These 5 members of the Resistance were assassinated in Colonia Villanueva, as they gathered with other young people in front of a local food stand.
32- 12/11/2009, Santos Corrales García, Lepaterique, Francisco Morazán
Santos, an active member of the Resistance against the coup, who coordinated the food storage warehouse, was kidnapped on Dec. 5, 2009, from his home by five armed men in National Criminal Investigation Unit uniforms. The subjects were driving a blue Tacoma vehicle. Six days later his decapitated body appeared 50 kilometers outside of Tegucigalpa.
33- 12/13/2009, Walter Orlando Tróchez, 27, Center of Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán
Walter was killed in the center of Tegucigalpa near the Larach and Cía from a bullet wound to the thorax fired by unidentified individuals from a vehicle.
34- 12/14/2009, Carlos Alberto Valenzuela, Comayagua, Comayagua
Carlos’ was found hung and strangled in his home in Comayagua.
35- 12/15/2009, Carlos Roberto Turcios Maldonado, 26, Colonia López Arellano, Choloma, Cortés
Carlos was kidnapped from López Orellana neighborhood at 2:20pm by hooded men in a vehicle who took him in an unknown direction. On Dec. 18th a body was found without head or hands, which is presumed to be Carlos.  DNA testing is being done to confirm his identify.
36- 12/17/2009, Karen Yessenia Hernández Mondragón, 29, Colonia Arturo Quezada, Comayagüela, Francisco Morazán
Karen was wounded by a firearm as she was taking her children to school in the Colonia San Francisco. She died on Dec. 18, 2009 in the Hospital Escuela of Tegucigalpa.
37- 12/22/2009, Edwin Renán Fajardo Argueta, 22, Barrio San Rafael, Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán
Edwin was an active member of the Artists in Resistance to the coup and was found strangled in the closet of the apartment where he lived in the San Rafael neighborhood of Tegucigalpa.
38- 01/10/2009, JANETH LOURDES MARROQUÍN, Comayagua, Comayagua
Janeth, a Medical Doctor and active member of the Resistance, and her husband (#39) were assassinated in their home by hooded men who entered by force.
39- 01/10/2009, HUGO NOÉ CONTRERAS, Comayagua, Comayagua
Hugo was a pharmacy owner and active member of the Resistance. He was assassinated with his wife (#38) by hooded men who forced entry into their home.
40- 01/30/2009, Blas López, Aldea El Carbonal, Olancho
Blas was a Secondary School Teacher, leader of the Pech ethnic group and active member of the Resistance.  He was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds.
41- 02/02/2010, Vanessa Zepeda, 29, Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán
Vanessa was an active member of the Resistance against the coup and unión leader in the Social Security Workers Union.  Her body was thrown out of a moving vehicle in the Loarque neighborhood in the south of Tegucigalpa.
42- 02/15/2010, Julio Fúnez Benítez, Colonia Brisas de Olancho, Comayagüela
Julio was a leader in the SANAA Union and member of the Resistance movement. He was gunned down by men wearing caps on a motorcycle at 6pm. He was shot three times.  Previously he had received death threats.
43- 02/24/2010, Claudia Larisa Brizuela Rodriguez, 36, Colonia Céleo González, San Pedro Sula
Claudia was the daughter of a prominent Radio journalist and outspoken member of the Resistance. She was shot in the face and killed when she opened the door to her home.  Her two young children witnessed their mother’s murder.
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WOLA DEPLORES ESCALATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN HONDURAS
February 24, 2010, Washington, DC
The Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) is deeply concerned about the escalation of severe human rights violations in Honduras.  WOLA calls for an end to these attacks, for a thorough investigation of these criminal acts and for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
Immediately following the inauguration of Porfirio Lobo on January 27, there has been a notable increase in attacks against people opposed to the June 28 coup d’état and their family members.  They include:

“Respect for human rights deteriorated following the coup d’état on June 28, 2009.  Even the US Government has acknowledged this and it is alarming that it is continuing under the new government,” stated Vicki Gass, a Senior Associate on Rights and Development who lived in Honduras for two years following Hurricane Mitch. […]
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TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS
Since the June 28th military coup, Rights Action has channeled tens of thousands of dollars of donations and grants to Honduran civil society organizations (including thousands to COFADEH) doing pro-democracy, human rights defense and emergency-repression response work.
To support Honduran pro-democracy, human rights organizations, make check payable to "Rights Action" and mail to:
UNITED STATES:  Box 50887, Washington DC, 20091-0887
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CREDIT-CARD DONATIONS: http://rightsaction.org/contributions.htm
WHAT TO DO
North Americans must send this information to our politicians, governments and media – not to the Honduran regime.  We must hold our governments partially accountable for Honduras' State repression.  The United States and Canada are the main governments that accepted the June 28, 2009 coup regime, that endorsed the November 29 "elections" that served to “legitimize” the June 28th coup and sweep under the rug 5 months of repression and killings. Now, the regime of Pepe Lobo continues with repression. But for the support the Honduran regime receives from the USA and Canada, it would not be able to repress with such impunity.
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