Honduran Congress raises femicide prison terms up to 60 years and creates women‑only judges circuit

The Honduran National Congress approved a set of reforms to the Penal Code that increase prison sentences for femicide. The baseline penalty rises from 25‑30 years to a maximum of 60 years for aggravated cases, with sentencing of 30‑40 years for certain aggravating circumstances. The reforms also establish a specialized judicial circuit dedicated to femicide cases, staffed exclusively by women judges, following a proposal presented by President of the Congress, Tomás Zambrano.

The measures respond to Honduras' high femicide rate—one woman killed every 32 hours and 262 cases reported in 2025—aiming to strengthen deterrence and improve victim‑focused justice.