On August 3, PBI-Honduras tweeted:

“These days we are observing the oral and public trial ‘Fraud on the Gualcarque’ against six people accused of managing the resources of the Gualcarque River. We remember the important work of @COPINHHONDURAS [Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras] in the defense of the Lenca indigenous territory and the river.”

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) has explained:

“The oral hearings [began on July 25] in the corruption trial in the concession of the Gualcarque River, in Honduras. FIDH and other organizations that make up the Qualified Observation Mission in the Berta Cáceres case in Honduras will follow the oral hearings.

This trial seeks accountability for those involved in the network of corruption that allowed for fraudulent concessions of the Gaulcarque River. These concessions are still in force in the territories of the Lenca community, violating their rights to land and water. The complaint is linked to the 2016 murder of renowned environmental and human rights defender Berta Cáceres.

This trial is also emblematic because it is the first time in the country that Indigenous communities — direct victims of these criminal acts — have become parties to a corruption case for violation of their human rights.

The Observation Mission hopes and calls for a transparent and public process in the trial of the ‘Fraud in the Gualcarque’ case.

The Observation Mission also calls on the national and international community, in particular the diplomatic missions in Tegucigalpa, to closely observe and follow this trial given its importance for human rights jurisprudence, the rights of Indigenous peoples, and the fight against corruption.”

The FIDH media release can be read in full at Honduras: International mission will observe “Fraude sobre el Gualcarque” case.

For more on this, please see the Proceso Digital article Por constancia médica de un defensor, juicio por “Fraude sobe el Gualcarque” seguirá el lunes.

PBI-Honduras has accompanied COPINH since May 2016.