Ebru Timtik Award given to Filipino organisation…
Find out more about this year's International Fair Trial Day in the Philippines and who won the Ebru Timtik Award.
The president of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernández.
We’re seriously concerned about the murder of Berta Cáceres, a Honduran human rights defender, who led activities opposing the building of the Agua Zarca dam on land belonging to the Lenca indigenous people.
She was shot dead by gunmen at her house on 3 March 2016. Ms Cáceres had reported over 30 threats to the authorities before her death, which were not properly investigated.
Her murder could probably have been prevented if the Honduran authorities had taken appropriate measures.
The Honduran authorities had failed to carry out all necessary steps for the effective implementation of the precautionary measures recommended by the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights in 2009.
We urged the relevant Honduran authorities to:
We’ll continue to monitor the investigation into Ms Cáceres’ murder, as well as any legal proceedings brought against possible suspects.
June 2009 – the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights orders that the Honduran authorities implement precautionary measures to the benefit of Ms Cáceres
March 2016 – Ms Cáceres was shot dead by gunmen outside her house
April 2016 – we wrote to the Honduran authorities to express our concerns
October 2016 – an International Advisory Group of Experts (GAIPE) was set up to gather information on the circumstances surround Ms Cáceres’ murder
November 2017 – GAIPE published its report, which found that high-level executives of the company responsible for the Agua Zarca dam had designed and implemented a strategy to repress all those opposing it. It was alleged that this repression was supported by state security forces