Blanca Sarahí Izaguirre Lozano, National Commissioner for Human Rights of Honduras (CONADEH)
Rosa Seaman,Vice-Minister for Protection, Secretariat for Human Rights (SEDH)
January 26, 2022
Dear Commissioner Izaguirre and Vice-Minister Seaman:
We, members of the InterReligious Task Force, are deeply saddened over the assassination of Thalía Rodríguez, a long-time, prominent LGBTI activist, and distressed over the legacy of impunity that such crimes carry in Honduras. On January 10, she became the first transwoman murdered in Honduras this year and the 400th trans person killed in Honduras since 2009, when famous trans activists Vicky Hernández was assassinated the night of the coup d’etát.
Thalía Rodríguez was attacked at her home on the slopes of Cerro Juana Laínez, in Tegucigalpa. She suffered gunshots to the head. A man who was with her in her home at the time of the attack also received gunshot wounds but survived after being treated at a nearby hospital. Other people who were in the house at the time were not injured in the shooting.
Thalía Rodríguez, age 58, worked for more than 20 years for the rights of LGBTI people and for discrimination-free living for those diagnosed with HIV. For three decades she ran a store in her neighborhood. She led Asociación Cozumel Trans, a Honduran trans rights group, and she was a member of Red Lésbica Cattrachas. She led a campaign for the rights of LGBTI to obtain government-issued identify documents that reflect their gender identity and chosen names. Well-known, she was featured in a news article, which included photos of her home, by Reportar sin Miedo last month.
Impunity runs rampant in crimes against LGBTI persons in Honduras. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruling in June 2021 against the state of Honduras for the killing of Vicky Hernández was a rare exception to the impunity. Even President Juan Orlando Hernández has declared LGBTI activists as enemies of the people.
Because of our concern of the murder or prominent activist Thalía Rodríguez, we call upon your humanity and integrity for the nation of Honduras urge you to take the following actions:
- carry out a thorough, impartial, and transparent investigation into the assassination of Thalía Rodríguez (as well as the the intellectual authors), including thorough forensics by professionals in a transparent manner in compliance of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights’ ruling on the state’s culpability and failure to investigate crimes against members of the trans community.
- bring those responsible for the assassination of Thalía Rodríguez to full accountability with the law
- guarantee that all human rights defenders are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of restrictions or reprisals in Honduras.
Sincerely,
Brian J. Stefan Szittai and Christine Stonebraker-Martinez
Co-Coordinators
copies:
Luis Suazo Barahona, Ambassador of Honduras to the US ~ via email and US mail
Carlos Bernal Pulido, Rapporteur for Honduras, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights ~ via email and US mail
Roberta Clarke,Rapporteur on the Rights of LGTBI Persons, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights ~ via email and US mail
Isabel Albaladejo Escribano, Representative to Honduras of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OACNUDH) ~ via email
Alice Shackelford, UN Resident Coordinator in Honduras, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights ~ via email
US Embassy in Honduras: Colleen Hoey, Chargé d’Affaires; Nate Rettenmayer, Political Officer; Ariel Jahner, Human Rights Officer ~ via email
US State Department: Molly Runyon, Honduras Desk Officer ~ via email
US Senators Brown & Portman ~ via email
US Representatives Beatty, Brown, Gibbs, González, Johnson, Jordan, Joyce, Kaptur, Latta, Ryan ~ via email
10 JAN 2022_IM-Defensoras_Honduras
