You are here: American University Washington College of Law Impact Initiatives Programs Hracademy News Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law

Back to top

WCL

Professor Claudia Martin’s participation the International Mission of Observation in Honduras during 2023

In 2023, Professor Claudia Martin, Co-Director of the Academy of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, was a member of the International Mission of Observation in Honduras (MIO – Honduras), organized by the Due Process of Law Foundation.

By  | 

Co-Directors and Co-Chairs
Some local media outlets covered Professor Claudia Martin's interventions during her visit to Honduras

As part of this assignment, Professor Martin was physically present in Honduras from January 23 to 28, 2023, where MIO – Honduras focused on the selection process of justices for the Supreme Court of Justice in Honduras. During that working week with the Mission, Professor Claudia Martin accompanied MIO-Honduras in a public debate on the progress and challenges of selecting justices for the Supreme Court in Honduras, held at the National University of Honduras on January 23, 2023.

Following the January visit, MIO – Honduras shared a resolution highlighting advancements in transparency and citizen participation, particularly regarding the selection process for justices of the Supreme Court. The Mission also emphasized the commitment of the National Assembly's factions to ensure gender parity in the final composition of the Court. Additionally, the Mission recognized the role played by the media and civil society in the noted progress.

The aforementioned advancements were included in the final report of MIO-Honduras regarding the selection process of justices for the Supreme Court of Justice in Honduras, presented on April 26, 2023. This report detailed the Mission's work in Honduras from November 2022 to April 2023, providing conclusions and recommendations on the ongoing process. Read the report here. Read the report here.

Co-Directors and Co-Chairs
The MIO-Honduras and its members answer questions from local and international press in February 2023 in Honduras

Subsequently, in the first week of August 2023, Professor Martin, along with the rest of MIO-Honduras, had an in-person visit to Tegucigalpa to assess the process of electing the attorney general and deputy. During this visit, on August 3, 2023, Professor Martin participated in a dialogue titled "Election of High Prosecutors in Honduras: Challenges for the National Congress Stage." Among the highlighted challenges were the lack of independence and transparency and the failure of the Proposing Board to respect gender parity in the final list of candidates submitted to Congress.  

As a result, on August 9, 2023, the Mission issued a resolution identifying these obstacles and challenges in the transparency and independence of the process, urging the National Congress to conduct a timely, transparent, independent, and merit-based process in the election of the attorney general and deputy.

You can read more about the work of MIO-Honduras at the following link: MIO-Honduras

You can review Professor Claudia Martin's profile in MIO-Honduras at the following link: Claudia Martin - MIO-Honduras
??????