Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission Chairmen Condemn Assassination of Honduran Judge Mireya Mendoza Peña

Washington – Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission co-chairmen Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Frank Wolf (R-VA) today strongly condemn the assassination of Honduran Judge Mireya Mendoza Peña, a member of the Executive Committee of the Honduran Association of Judges for Democracy. According to initial media reports, Judge Mendoza was murdered in broad daylight in the city of El Progreso while driving her car by two men on a motorcycle who sprayed her vehicle with 20 bullets.

Co-chairmen Wolf and McGovern express their deepest sympathies to Judge Mendoza's family, friends, colleagues and loved ones. They also call on the Honduran authorities to fully investigate and bring to justice the perpetrators of this heinous crime. In addition, the co-chairmen call on the Government of Honduras to dramatically increase its efforts to end the repression and intimidation of opposition voices in Honduras and to protect all Honduran citizens from violence.

The mission of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission is to promote and advocate human rights in a nonpartisan manner both inside and outside of Congress.