by Rex Wockner
International News Briefs
The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission on July 17 condemned "the recent murder and arbitrary arrests of … LGBT activists in Honduras."
"IGLHRC has learned that these human rights abuses have occurred as a direct result of the military coup on June 28 … which ousted that country's democratically elected government," the group said.
A transgender activist was shot dead June 29 a block from the gay community center in the city of San Pedro Sula, IGLHRC said.
"Local activists in Honduras claim she was killed by military police patrolling the streets," the organization reported.
Five other GLBT activists – Hector Licona, Donny Reyes, Patrick Pavon, Claudia Cervantes and Lizeth Avila – were arrested, detained and beaten June 29 in Tegucigalpa, the capital, IGLHRC said.
"The arrests occurred while the activists were participating in a demonstration in support of the democratically elected government," the group said.
The five activists are well-known GLBT leaders.
"The recent coup in Honduras is an illegal assault on democracy that violates the rights of all Honduran citizens, including those who identify as LGBT," said IGLHRC Executive Director Cary Alan Johnson. "We especially deplore the vicious murder and arbitrary arrests of LGBT people in the wake of this crisis."
