On August 26, PBI-Honduras posted: “PBI accompanies the protest in Trujillo to demand freedom for the defenders of Guapinol who have been in arbitrary preventive detention for two years. They also demand a date for the oral and public trial.”

Seven defenders are being held on pretrial detention in the Olanchito prison and the eighth in La Ceiba prison for their peaceful participation in a protest camp intended to stop the Inversiones Los Pinares iron oxide mine polluting the water sources that originate in the Carlos Escaleras Mountain National Park.

Criterion.hn reports: “The Sentencing Court of Trujillo, in the department of Colón, extended to 6 more months the arbitrary detention against the defenders of the Guapinol River, who have been imprisoned for two years.”

Dina Meza further notes in Pasos de Animal Grande: “Ignoring the recommendations of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions and other international demands, the Judiciary, through a resolution of the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice, decided to keep in preventive detention eight defenders of the Guapinol River, who today August 26 were serving two years in prison.”

That article adds: “Lawyer Edy Tábora, of the Justice for the Peoples Law Firm, BJP, pointed out that this decision is arbitrary because there is no justification for the defenders to remain in prison and recalled the resolution of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions.”

And lawyer Omar Menjívar says: “What the system does is confirm the determination, which for us has been clear, to keep in pretrial detention, regardless of whether there is reason or no reason, the comrades of Guapinol.”

He continues: “Because what it is about is to give a lesson to those who are already in preventive detention but also to send a message to others who are involved or are involved in this struggle for the defense of the Guapinol River and the San Pedro River.”

Meza comments: “Undoubtedly, the Honduran State does not care about the international commitments assumed and sets a new record as a nation where the rule of law, already very fractured, is muddy.”

Radio Progreso notes: “Now the environmentalists of Guapinol will remain in prison for six more months in which the trial is expected to be held.”

PBI-Honduras has been accompanying various processes in relation to the defenders of the Guapinol River for the past two years.

 #LibertadParaGuapinol

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