Honduran Government Represses Hunger Strikers Protesting Fraud

[Judi Lynn]

Honduran Government Represses Hunger Strikers Protesting Fraud


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Human rights defenders form a human shield between riot police and hunger strikers outside the presidential palace in Tegucigalpa, Honduras July 16, 2015. | Photo: EFE
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Published 17 July 2015 (20 hours 3 minutes ago)

Anti-corruption hunger strikers say it is their legitimate right to be at the presidential palace, but they were met with police force when they tried to enter.

Honduran human rights defenders, on hunger strike to protest government corruption, attempted to gain access to the presidential palace in a peaceful demonstration in the capital city Tegucigalpa on Thursday, but police and military responded with force to block their entry, local media reported.

The 20 hunger strikers who tried to enter the main doors of the presidential palace were beaten and repressed by police and military. Two of hunger strikers who sustained blows were taken to emergency and hospitalized for their injuries. Others also received medical attention in the streets.

Hunger striker Wilfredo Mendez of a Honduran human rights organization said activists were not seeking to speak with the president, but to move their strike to the presidential palace to pressure the government to prosecute those involved in the massive corruption scandal in the country's Social Security Institute, Honduras' La Prensa reported.

More:
http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Honduran-Government-Represses-Hunger-Strikers-Protesting-Fraud-20150717-0005.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. Riot police in Honduras scuffle with protesters

Riot police in Honduras scuffle with protesters

By AFP Jul 16, 2015 in World .

Riot police in Honduras scuffled Thursday with hunger-striking protesters trying to march on the president's palace in the latest of a series of rallies seeking his resignation for alleged massive corruption.

Demonstrators known as "indignados" -- the indignant ones -- have been living in tents about 80 meters (260 feet) from the palace, with police manning a metal and wire fence preventing them from getting close.

But on Thursday 22 protesters tried to get past the barrier, prompting shoving matches with police, who used shields to keep the demonstrators at bay.

Police also brandished truncheons but refrained from using them.

Hondurans in crowds as large as 100,000 have been marching and protesting since May against President Juan Orlando Hernandez.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/news/world/riot-police-in-honduras-scuffle-with-protesters/article/438535#ixzz3gDNcEBCF