The International Secretariat has been informed, by reliable sources, of the deaths of three street children.

During the past year, the government - as a result of international pressure - has opened juvenile detention centres. Despite this move, the care inside these centres has been deficient and often repressive. As a result of inadequate rehabilitation and inadequate training many children have escaped from "El Carmen" and El Hatillo" government centres.

During the evening of June 18th, 1997, a total of 44 children escaped from the "El Carmen" government centre in San Pedro Sula. Approximately 15 were recaptured. On Friday, June 20th, the bodies of two of the escaped children who had not been recaptured were found with bullet holes through their heads in the San Pedro Sula barrio of "Islas del Progreso" on 11th Avenue and 33rd street, Tegucigalpa City. Sergio Mario Castillo Landin (16) was killed with three bullets, one through the head and the other two through the neck. Three meters away was the body of Marvin Javier Castro Orellana (16), with one bullet hole in the back of his head and another in his back.

The following day, Saturday, June 21st, the body of Miguel Angel Castellon Orellana (10) was found in a ditch in Colonia Luisiana on the south east side of San Pedro Sula. Miguel Angel was in 4th grade of primary school. Reports state that the child had been beaten on the face and had wounds in different parts of the body.

Write to the Honduran authorities urging them to :

i. Take all necessary measure to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all street children;

ii. Take appropriate measures to ensure an adequate training of agents and functionaries of the state with regard to juvenile justice to ensure appropriate levels of care in national institutions;

iii. Carry out a thorough and impartial investigation into the events, in order to identify those responsible, bring them before a civilian tribunal and impose on them the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;

iv. Guarantee the full respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country in accordance with national laws and international standards.

The international Secretariat reported in December of 1995 that at least 12 children were jailed with adults in the Comayagua prison in Honduras. The children had been handcuffed with their arms behind their backs, they were then hung by their wrists from the wall and beaten.

Mr Aquilino Sorto, the Director of the prison, was arrested in February 1997 and accused of having tortured several adult prisoners as well as twelve children who were illegally detained.

The International Secretariat has been informed by a reliable source that the Honduran Ministry of the Interior and Justice has recently re-instated the Director of the Comayagua prison , Aquilino Sorto, who was released on bail on charges relating to the alleged torturing of the minors referred to above.

According to the source Aquilino Sorto was arrested last month accused of having allegedly torturing three minors, who were being detained with adults, in November 1995. Sorto allegedly ordered the minors to be taken to the "punishment cell" where, according to witnesses, their hands were tied behind their backs and they were hung up on the wall by their wrists with their feet off the ground.

On December 26, 1995, the Ministry of the Interior and Justice sent a commission to the prison to investigate the accusations. The commission interviewed several prisoners, but it is believed that they did not speak with the victims. The commission concluded that the accusations were fabricated and no further action was taken.

Casa Alianza an organisation working with street children in the country pressed for an investigation after it was informed that forensic examinations of some of the victims did exist. Following the intervention of OMCT Sorto was arrested in February 1997 and formally accused of "abusing his responsibilities under the Honduran Constitution." He spent several weeks in a police jail, was then released on bail. He has returned to his post as Director of the Comayagua prison.

The Fiscal in charge of the accusations against the prison Director wrote to the Minister of the Interior and Justice requesting that Sorto be temporarily suspended from his position in order to allow a thorough investigation of the charges. He was told, after contacting prison officials at other jails in Honduras, that Sorto would not be "separated from his position."

OMCT fears that any investigation led by the Attorney General's Office will be blocked by Sorto, in his position as Director. There is also strong grounds to believe that any witnesses will be afraid to testify against the Director due to a fear of ill-treatment.

Under the circumstances, the International Secretariat feel that the reappointment of Sorto

OMCT notes that Honduras is under a ruling of the Inter American Commission on Human Rights to prosecute those responsible for the detention of children together with adults.

Write to the proper authorities urging them to

i. Guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all children in detention and ensure their separation from adults;

ii. Immediately suspend Aquilino Sorto of his position of Director while investigations of the case and court proceedings are being carried out;

iii. Reopen the public inquiry and ensure that it examines exhaustively all appropriate evidence including interviewing the victims and appropriate forensic evidence;

iv. Ensure in all circumstances the full respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with national and international standards.

The International Secretariat has been informed, by a reliable source, that the street youth Cesar Humberto Reyes (16), was murdered at approximately 5:00am on Tuesday, 6 May 1997, on 7th street between 8th and 9th Avenues of Barrio Medina in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.

According to information received, Cesar Humberto Reyes who suffered from epilepsia, was seemingly stoned to death. His body was left under a market stand were he slept with lesions marks on his face and stones in the area of the body. He worked in the Dandy and Medina Concepcion markets during the day carrying produce.

It is feared that there has been no adequate investigation by the authorities to date. The Legal Aid Office of Casa Alianza is investigating the murder.

Please write to the Honduran authorities urging them to:

i. take all necessary measures to protect the street youth in Honduras

ii. carry out a thorough and impartial enquiry into the facts in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by legislation

iii. ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with national laws and international standards.