On November 17, PBI-Honduras posted:

“In previous days, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Honduras regretted that, without justifying elements, the Trujillo Trial Court has decided to maintain the preventive detention of the eight defenders of #Guapinol.

The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention determined that keeping the eight defenders in prison goes against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

PBI accompanies and visited the defender Jeremías Martínez in prison, who expressed his gratitude for the support of the international community and was hopeful for the next hearing on December 1.

From PBI we express the fundamental nature of respect for human rights and compliance with international agreements and declarations.”

Martinez has been imprisoned since December 8, 2018.

Criterio has reported: “Daniel Márquez, Kelvin Romero, José Abelino Cedillo, Porfirio Sorto, Orbin Hernández, Arnold Alemán, Ewer Cedillo Cruz and Jeremías Martínez Díaz are being held in Olanchito prison. That article adds: “The eighth defender, Jeremías Martínez Díaz, is being held in La Ceiba prison.”

They are being criminally prosecuted for peacefully protesting the installation of an open-pit iron oxide mine in Carlos Escaleras National Park, after contamination of the Guapinol River and the San Pedro Sector appeared.

The Municipal Committee for the Defense of Common and Public Goods of Tocoa and other organizations are demanding that the Court allow the presence of national and international observers in the judicial process to guarantee transparency and compliance with other human rights obligations.

They also ask that the Supreme Court guarantee family members and other human rights defenders a simultaneous video and audio transmission to make transparent a judicial process typical of a member country of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

PBI-Canada continues to follow this closely.

Juana Ramona Zúñiga, whose husband José Abelino Cedillo is being held at Olanchito, participated in the PBI-convened webinar on COP26 this past Saturday, November 6. You can watch her intervention (in Spanish) on that webinar here (starting at the 15:30 mark).

On August 11, 2021, PBI-Honduras posted: “PBI visits the 7 environmental defenders of Guapinol and San Pedro sector in the prison center of Olanchito, who are facing a criminalization process for the defense of water.”

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