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Berta Cáceres: 8 Years After Her Murder, Justice Still Not Confirmed.

Comunicacion COPINH

Statement by COPINH on the 8th anniversary of the assassination of Berta Cáceres.

Press Release#1 2024

  1. COPINH, together with the daughters, son and mother of Berta Cáceres, addresses the Lenca people, the Honduran people and the international community on this eighth anniversary of the cruel crime against our beloved Berta. Eight years after that fateful night in which Berta was taken from us, we continue to fight for justice for her, knowing that her memory will not be honored until all her murderers have firm sentences and the Lenca people do not see their lives and territories threatened.
  2. We regret that more than five years after the conviction against the perpetrators of the crime, and nearly three years after the conviction against David Castillo as co-perpetrator, the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice of Honduras has not ruled  on the related appeals filed; by t  as a result, these sentences are not yet confirmed. This is a clear violation of the right of access to justice for victims and an impediment for the legal justice system in Honduras.  It is also an opportunity for corrupt business mafias to try to influence the Court’s resolution.
  3. In December 2023, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, headed by the now confirmed Attorney General Johel Zelaya, announced charges  and an arrest warrant against Daniel Atala Midence, one of the masterminds of the crime against Berta Cáceres; however, this announcement led to him fleeing, and to date, there is no information about his capture and prosecution. This action by the Attorney General’s Office does not coincide with the proper administration of justice.
  4. We also reiterate that all the masterminds,  members of the sinister Atala Zablah family, must be captured, prosecuted and convicted for their responsibility in the crime, as well as all public officials of the Juan Orlando Hernandez regime linked to it.
  5. The weaknesses of the justice system in Honduras make us reiterate the need for the establishment of an International Investigation Group for this crime, which would allow us to advance in a transparent, fair and effective way in the justice for Berta and dismantle the criminal structures behind this crime and the crimes against those of us who defend our rights.
  6. In these years of struggle, we have learned that justice goes beyond the courts; it is an echo that resonates in the preservation of our identity, in the defense of our territories and in the construction of a future where the voice of our communities is heard and respected. In remembering Berta, we also remember the importance of preserving and strengthening our traditions, wisdom and ways of life. On this path, we are not alone and we will not falter.
  7. The struggle for justice for Berta Cáceres is also the struggle for the preservation of our roots, for the right to live in harmony with nature and for a future where spirituality and the earth are fundamental pillars.

Therefore, on this date of commemoration of the life and struggle of Berta Cáceres and the Lenca People we demand:

  1. That the Supreme Court of Justice issue its rulings related to the  appeals presented following the guilty convictions for the crime against Berta Cáceres.2. That the Honduran Public Prosecutor’s Office capture and prosecute all members of the Atala Zablah family linked to the crime .
  2. That the Government of President Xiomara Castro establish the International Group of Investigation of the Crime Against Berta Cáceres by t.
  3. That the Honduran State as a whole respects the territories and rights of Lenca communities.

In the eternal heartbeat of our communities and in the resistance that emanates from our ancestral identity, Berta Lives, The Struggle Continues.

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