Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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109. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the trial of persons accused of killing a person (details supplied) will take place in June 2018; and if an Irish diplomat will attend part of the trial. [17187/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am aware of the case to which the Deputy refers and of its importance for human rights defenders who are working in the field of environmental and indigenous rights in Honduras. I am also aware of the difficult situation which currently pertains for human rights defenders in Honduras more generally. Officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade met just last week in Dublin with a Honduran lawyer and human rights defender who has had to leave the country due to fears for his personal safety. Officials at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade regularly raise issues relating to human rights in Honduras both at EU and UN level, including through direct contact with the EU Delegation in Tegucigalpa.

Honduras was last reviewed under the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review mechanism in May 2015. Ireland intervened then to express its concern at the climate of violence and insecurity in which human rights defenders operate in Honduras, and recommended that adequate financial and human resources be allocated to ensure the implementation of legislation protecting human rights defenders and journalists.

Ireland has also raised the difficulties facing human rights defenders in Honduras in public statements at the UN Human Rights Council and at the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

Senior officials also discussed the situation faced by human rights defenders in Central America with the Executive Director of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights during his visit to Dublin in 2016.

Ireland does not have any diplomatic representation in Honduras but we are following developments closely and will have the opportunity to hear from EU colleagues who are present on the ground as to developments in this case.

In keeping with Ireland’s commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights, we will continue to raise concerns regarding threats to the work of human rights defenders in discussions on Honduras at EU and international level.