Briefing: Violence And Repression Against Human Rights Defenders In Honduras

Congressional Briefing:
The U.S. Policy Response to Violence and Repression Against Human Rights Defenders in Honduras

Thursday, April 7, 2016
9:00–10:30AM
2226 Rayburn House Office Building

Speakers:
Tomás Gómez Membreño
General Coordinator - Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH)

Alejando Tercero
LGBT activist - Rainbow Collective (Colectivo Arcoiris)

Bertha Oliva
Executive Director - Committee for the Relatives of the Disappeared in Honduras (COFADEH)

Víctor Fernández
COPINH Attorney and Coordinator - Broad Movement for Dignity and Justice (MAD)

Moderator:
Timi Gerson
Director of Advocacy, American Jewish World Service

Hosted by:
Rep. Hank Johnson
Member of Congress

This panel discusses the disturbing pattern of violence and repression in Honduras targeting social activists.

The recent murder of environmental and indigenous rights activist Berta Cáceres has brought attention to the extreme danger faced by human rights activists in Honduras. Less than two weeks after Berta’s murder, Nelson García, another activist with the Council for Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH) was murdered following the eviction of Lenca communities from their land by state security forces. In the past few years, COPINH members have been killed by state forces, as in the case of Tomás García in 2013, and have faced intimidation, harassment and continual criminalization by the government (including the arrest in 2013 of Berta Cáceres along with two other COPINH leaders on trumped up charges).

Within a context of increasing persecution, and intimidation against Honduran social activists, COPINH’s experience is not unique. Activists across Honduras — whether they are from environmental, labor, indigenous or LGBT rights organizations — have faced intense repression and violence in this country. Furthermore, these acts of violence almost never result in prosecutions, and, rather than help protect activists, Honduran security forces are frequently suspected of criminal complicity.

The panelists discuss the current climate in Honduras from the perspective of different communities of human rights activists and highlight what the U.S. government and international community can do to support their work to defend human rights and civil society in that country.

Видео Briefing: Violence And Repression Against Human Rights Defenders In Honduras канала Center for Economic and Policy Research