The Index on Censorship, produced in the UK, looked at data from NGOs in the Central American country.

It found that since 2009, when president Manuel Zelaya was ousted during a military coup, there have been 215 murders of LGBT people.

In 2015, there were 37 deaths.

This is a hugely increased number as previous – 20 LGBT people were murdered from 1994 until the coup, which was backed by the US.

Speaking to the Morning Star [see below], gay rights activist Donny Reyes said: “I’ve suffered torture and sexual violence because of my activism, and I’ve survived many assassination attempts.”

Police officials have been suspended over the killings of drug prosecutors.

According to audio recordings, assassins were paid around £14,000 to kill anti-drug chief Julian Aristides Gonzalez in 2009.

While it is legal to be gay in Honduras, there are no discrimination protections for LGBT people.

Same-sex marriage and adoption are also prohibited by the country’s constitution.

Joseph Patrick McCormick

* Pink News. 7^th April 2016, 3:48 PM:
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2016/04/07/drastic-increase-in-lgbt-killings-in-honduras-since-us-backed-coup/

Honduras: Massive Rise In Homophobic Killings Since Zelaya Toppled

A REPORT exposed yesterday how LGBT campaigners in Honduras have risked torture, prison and assassination since the US-backed 2009 coup.

The British-based Index on Censorship used data gathered from local NGOs.

It said 215  LGBT people were murdered between 2009, when left-wing president Manuel Zelaya was ousted by a military coup, and 2015, with 37 deaths in 2015 alone.

By contrast, just 20 gay or transgender people were murdered between 1994 and 2009.
Honduran gay rights activist Donny Reyes said: “I’ve suffered torture and sexual violence because of my activism, and I’ve survived many assassination attempts.”

On Tuesday, President Juan Orlando Hernandez said several top police officials had been suspended over the killings of three drugs prosecutors.

Audio recordings indicate that assassins were paid about $20,000 (£14,000) to kill Julian Aristides Gonzalez in 2009.

APR

* Morning Star. 2016 Thursday 7TH:
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-8d8c-Honduras-Massive-rise-in-homophobic-killings-since-Zelaya-toppled?#.VwemUTYUz4e