Murder of transsexual human rights defender in Honduras

24.2.2009

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1442/09
by Raül Romeva i Rueda (Verts/ALE) , Michael Cashman (PSE) , Sophia in 't Veld (ALDE) , Lissy Gröner (PSE) , Kathalijne Maria Buitenweg (Verts/ALE) , Jean Lambert (Verts/ALE) , Bairbre de Brún (GUE/NGL) , Catherine Stihler (PSE) , Caroline Lucas (Verts/ALE) , Glenys Kinnock (PSE) , Eva-Britt Svensson (GUE/NGL) , Gary Titley (PSE) , John Bowis (PPE‑DE) , Baroness Sarah Ludford (ALDE) , Britta Thomsen (PSE) , Richard Corbett (PSE) and Emine Bozkurt (PSE)
to the Commission

According to recent reports received from the human rights organisations Front Line, Amnesty International and FIDH (Féderation International du Droit de l'Homme), a human rights defender, Cynthia Nicole Moreno, who was fighting for the rights of transgender people in Honduras, was brutally shot on 9 January 2009. NGOs working in the field state that she was very probably killed because of her activities defending the human rights of transgender people. She had been one of the public faces representing the transgender community in media and various conferences.

Two other transgender women have been killed in Honduras lately: Jazmina Zelaya on 30 October 2008 and another woman on 17 December 2008.

Police in Honduras are very reluctant to investigate any of theses cases and there is a risk that, because of the police's failure to act, the murderers will never be found.

Is the European Commission aware of the ongoing violence against transgender people in Honduras? Has the European Commission discussed, or does it intend to discuss, the issue with the Honduras authorities?

Can the European Commission put pressure on Honduras to protect transgender human rights defenders and thoroughly investigate the abovementioned murders?

OJ C 189, 13/07/2010