Criminal Justice

Honduras's Supreme Court has recommended that Congress reinstate the Effective Collaboration Law, a mechanism allowing prosecutors to work with organized-crime figures to dismantle criminal structures and reach higher-level leaders with verifiable evidence.

Prosecutors filed opposition to a court order that would release Óscar Ramírez Melgar, accused of killing law student María Fernanda Alemán in February 2025, arguing that pretrial detention is legally required and that his release poses a risk to witnesses and the victim's family.

Honduras's Judicial School is conducting a training module on indigenous peoples' rights within the criminal justice system in La Ceiba, October 19–20, in partnership with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Marco Paz, president of Congress's Security Commission, announced a proposed initiative to allow inmates classified as low or medium risk, as well as elderly prisoners and those with chronic illnesses, to serve the remainder of their sentences at home under electronic monitoring.

A San Pedro Sula trial court acquitted Brayan Isaac Garay Martínez of aggravated habitual family violence, ruling that prosecutors failed to present sufficient evidence, and ordered an end to criminal proceedings against him.

Honduras's Public Ministry forensic mental health department completed 752 evaluations through August 2026—371 in forensic psychology, 360 in psychiatry, and 21 in social work—providing medical-legal opinions that officials say are essential to the criminal justice system.

Daniel Meraz received an 18-year, 9-month prison sentence after admitting to the aggravated femicide of his ex-partner, nurse Elvia Mercedes Gómez López, 30, who died on June 3 in San Manuel, Cortés.

OFRANEH, a Garífuna rights organization, set up a permanent encampment at Honduras's Supreme Court to demand the dismissal of criminal charges against five San Juan residents accused of land occupation, citing a favorable Inter-American Court ruling and alleging a conflict of interest involving the court president and a wealthy family claiming the same land.

A prominent defense lawyer argues that Honduras's justice system treats environmental and land-rights activists like high-risk criminals while showing leniency toward powerful figures, citing the cases of Guapinol and five Garifuna defenders arrested in San Juan.

Congress is considering a proposal that would create a legal presumption protecting homeowners and business owners who use deadly force to repel intruders, aiming to prevent automatic criminal prosecution of property defenders.

A Honduran court has convicted 11 former agents of DIPAMPCO, a now-defunct police unit, the Public Ministry announced.