Billy Fernando Joya Améndola (known as Billy Joya) is a former Honduran military officer who worked in the controversial Battalion 3-16,[1] national security adviser at Manuel Zelaya's government, a post in which he has continued.[2][3]
One of four children, Joya enrolled in military academy at 14, but was expelled "when a teacher caught him cheating on an exam."[4] He subsequently enlisted as a private and within two years had risen to become the youngest sergeant in the army. He joined the military police, and in 1981, along with a dozen other Hondurans, had 6 weeks' training in the US. He went on to become a member of Intelligence Battalion 3-16.[4]
Joya fled legal proceedings in Honduras regarding allegations of torture and forced disappearances carried out by Battalion 3-16, and sought political asylum in Spain, which was rejected. In August 1998 a claim was filed against Joya in Spain requesting his detention, asserting universal jurisdiction under the Convention Against Torture.[8] "Joya voluntarily returned to Honduras in December 1998 after receiving promises of special treatment. He was jailed but freed in August 2000 after a judge said there was not enough evidence to continue his detention."[9]
In 1996 Joya told the victims of Battalion 3-16, "I ask pardon for having contributed to that history of pain and suffering that you experienced."[10]
Security adviseredit
As of mid-2006, Billy Joya was a national security advisor to Alvaro Romero, another former Battalion 3-16 member, who was a government minister (Secretary of Security) during the presidency of Manuel Zelaya.[11]
Referencesedit
^Violadores de Derechos Humanos en la década de los 80`s - Billy Fernando Joya Améndola, Comité de Familiares de Detenidos Desaparecidos en Honduras (COFADEH)
^Goodman, Amy (2009-07-31). . Z Communications. Archived from the original on 2013-12-24. Retrieved 2009-08-01.
^The Daily Telegraph, 5 July 2009, In Honduras coup, the truth is as strange as any 'banana republic' fiction
^Imerman, Vicky; Heather Dean (2009). "Notorious Honduran School of the Americas Graduates". Derechos Human Rights. from the original on 2008-12-04. Retrieved 2009-08-03.
^Valladares Lanza, Leo; Susan C. Peacock. "IN Search of Hidden Truths -An Interim Report on Declassification by the National Commissioner for Human Rights in Honduras". from the original on 2009-08-05. Retrieved 2009-08-02.
^Declassification Request to the U.S. Government by Honduran National Commissioner for Human Rights, 31 July 1995, see ref for "In Search of Hidden Truths"
^CL Sriram (2002), "Exercising Universal Jurisdiction: Contemporary Disparate Practice", The International Journal of Human Rights
^. Archived from the original on 2007-11-21. Retrieved 2009-07-28.
^Associated Press, 20 February 1996, "Former Honduran Officer Admits Kidnapping"
^Holland, Clifton L. (June 2006). (PDF). Mesoamérica Institute for Central American Studies. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2009-08-03.
External linksedit
(in Spanish) Billy Joya, biography, including photo, by COFADEH
Billy Fernando Joya Amendola, Trial Watch Profile, TRIAL
November 11, 2023
billy, joya, billy, fernando, joya, améndola, known, former, honduran, military, officer, worked, controversial, battalion, national, security, adviser, manuel, zelaya, government, post, which, continued, contents, military, career, security, adviser, referenc. Billy Fernando Joya Amendola known as Billy Joya is a former Honduran military officer who worked in the controversial Battalion 3 16 1 national security adviser at Manuel Zelaya s government a post in which he has continued 2 3 Contents 1 Military career 2 Security adviser 3 References 4 External linksMilitary career editOne of four children Joya enrolled in military academy at 14 but was expelled when a teacher caught him cheating on an exam 4 He subsequently enlisted as a private and within two years had risen to become the youngest sergeant in the army He joined the military police and in 1981 along with a dozen other Hondurans had 6 weeks training in the US He went on to become a member of Intelligence Battalion 3 16 4 Billy Joya was one of at least 18 members of the death squad Intelligence Battalion 3 16 who trained at the School of the Americas in the United States 5 6 7 Joya fled legal proceedings in Honduras regarding allegations of torture and forced disappearances carried out by Battalion 3 16 and sought political asylum in Spain which was rejected In August 1998 a claim was filed against Joya in Spain requesting his detention asserting universal jurisdiction under the Convention Against Torture 8 Joya voluntarily returned to Honduras in December 1998 after receiving promises of special treatment He was jailed but freed in August 2000 after a judge said there was not enough evidence to continue his detention 9 In 1996 Joya told the victims of Battalion 3 16 I ask pardon for having contributed to that history of pain and suffering that you experienced 10 Security adviser editAs of mid 2006 Billy Joya was a national security advisor to Alvaro Romero another former Battalion 3 16 member who was a government minister Secretary of Security during the presidency of Manuel Zelaya 11 References edit Violadores de Derechos Humanos en la decada de los 80 s Billy Fernando Joya Amendola Comite de Familiares de Detenidos Desaparecidos en Honduras COFADEH Goodman Amy 2009 07 31 Zelaya Speaks Z Communications Archived from the original on 2013 12 24 Retrieved 2009 08 01 The Daily Telegraph 5 July 2009 In Honduras coup the truth is as strange as any banana republic fiction a b The New York Times 7 August 2009 A Cold War Ghost Reappears in Honduras Imerman Vicky Heather Dean 2009 Notorious Honduran School of the Americas Graduates Derechos Human Rights Archived from the original on 2008 12 04 Retrieved 2009 08 03 Valladares Lanza Leo Susan C Peacock IN Search of Hidden Truths An Interim Report on Declassification by the National Commissioner for Human Rights in Honduras Archived from the original on 2009 08 05 Retrieved 2009 08 02 Declassification Request to the U S Government by Honduran National Commissioner for Human Rights 31 July 1995 see ref for In Search of Hidden Truths CL Sriram 2002 Exercising Universal Jurisdiction Contemporary Disparate Practice The International Journal of Human Rights The Quest for Justice Efforts to Prosecute Honduran Human Rights Abusers Archived from the original on 2007 11 21 Retrieved 2009 07 28 Associated Press 20 February 1996 Former Honduran Officer Admits Kidnapping Holland Clifton L June 2006 Honduras Human Rights Workers Denounce Battalion 3 16 Participation in Zelaya Government PDF Mesoamerica Institute for Central American Studies Archived from the original PDF on 2011 07 20 Retrieved 2009 08 03 External links edit in Spanish Billy Joya biography including photo by COFADEH Billy Fernando Joya Amendola Trial Watch Profile TRIAL Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Billy Joya amp oldid 1163073906, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
