Article by PBI-Canada

COPINH photo: “5 years fighting hand in hand for justice for Berta.”

The Peace Brigades International-Honduras Project has posted: “Five years after her murder, the oral and public trial will finally begin against David Castillo, one of the alleged intellectual responsible for the murder of Berta Caceres.”

It further notes that the trial begins today Tuesday, April 6 at 10 am at the Supreme Court of Justice in Tegucigalpa.

At the time of Berta’s murder on March 2, 2016, Castillo was the CEO of DESA, the company seeking to build the Agua Zarca hydroelectric dam on the Gualcarque River on Indigenous Lenca territory in Honduras.

Castillo is alleged to have coordinated with and provided funds to, the men who were the material authors of the murder of Berta.

COPINH general coordinator Bertha Zúñiga Cáceres says: “After five years of being in this battle comes a defining moment in the process of seeking truth and justice.”

She adds: “In the political context of impunity in our country, and persecution of territorial leadership, this process will be a challenge where we know that from the background of the justice system, we need wisdom and the accompaniment of human rights organizations and people who have been part of this struggle.”

PBI-Honduras highlights: “Follow the live transmission of the hearings on the social networks of COPINH.” The Facebook page for COPINH is here.

PBI-Honduras has accompanied COPINH since May 2016.