Alejandra Padilla was a transexual woman and human rights defender who was active in the struggle for the rights of the #LGTBI population. She worked with the Trans Feminist Association and belonged to the Coalition against Impunity.

On Friday, April 15, at 9:15 p.m., Alejandra Padilla was found with numerous bruises on the highway leading to the old route to Lima in the city of San Pedro Sula. A police patrol car took her to the Mario Catarino Rivas hospital, where she died at 12:00 midnight. The forensic report indicated that her death was caused by the blows she received from the assailant, who has been arrested.

Several different news media reported the crime, publishing unsubstantiated information that depicts the assailant as the victim of the slain defender. This is an assult on Alejandra’s dignity and contributes to worsening existing prejudices against the #LGBTTTI population. This type of coverage is a serious offense if we note that, according to IACHR information in 2014, the number of hate crimes against this population had risen to 174. As many as 69 of the victims were transexual women, including well-known activists such as Paola Barraza and Angie Ferreira.

Against a backdrop of high rates of violence and hate crimes against the #LGBTTTI population, along with normalized prejudices that make it very difficult for this population to gain access to living wage jobs in decent conditions, the Honduran State’s omissions place transexual women defenders in an extremely vulnerable situation.

IM-Defensoras condemns this new hate crime and demands that the Honduran State typify hate crimes in the new Penal Code;foster public education campaigns in order to prevent and eradicate prejudices against the #LGBTTTI community; and guarantee the safety and security of its members.