Article by PBI-Canada

On April 14, PBI-Honduras posted: “Yesterday we observed the audience of seven defenders of the Choluteca River belonging to the organization Alternative for Community and Environmental Reclamation of Honduras (ARCAH). The judge issued a formal prosecution order and the oral and public trial will be held at the end of April.”

PBI-Honduras adds: “These seven people were arrested when they were exercising their right to peaceful demonstration. They are accused of forced displacement, a crime included in the New Penal Code. The Human Rights Table demands the Public Ministry and the Judiciary put an end to the misuse of criminal law against human rights defenders.”

ARCAH has explained in this Facebook post: “On March 29, 7 advocates and environmentalist advocates from organized communities in ARCAH were arrested and detained arbitrarily by more than 100 members of the State of Honduras security forces.”

ARCAH adds: “This is for the fight in defense of the Choluteca River against all the pollution caused by the ENTREPRISE AVICOLA EL CORTIJO. From ARCAH we stand before this condemnable act while demanding justice and freedom.”

Defensores en Linea has also reported that ARCAH was “demonstrating against water and air pollution caused by a poultry farm in the southern capital area.”

Their article further notes: “Villagers and advocates consent that the right to health, which is an inalienable right, have denounced for four years the pollution caused by the poultry company ‘El Cortijo’, its waste is seriously damaging at least four surrounding communities and the Choluteca River, where much of the company’s toxic waste falls.”

Last month, Criterion also reported: “The Alternative Community and Environmental Reclamation of Honduras (ARCAH) demanded in a statement that decree PCM-138-2020 that approves a millionaire trust for power generation with the construction of 14 dams, through the establishment of public-private partnerships, does not take effect.”