Representatives Ellison and Schakowsky issued statements of concern following an intensification of threats and intimidation targeting the family of Berta Caceres and other human rights defenders in Honduras.
The United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights stressed the need to protect human rights defenders in Honduras. During a visit to the country he said, “They are doing a tremendous service for the long-term future of Honduras and should never be attacked, punished or stigmatized.”
Four top-ranking Senators, including Cardin (Ranking Dem. on Foreign Relations committee), Feinstein (Ranking on Judiciary, which oversees the DEA), Leahy (Ranking on Approps.), and Chuck Grassley (REPUBLICAN CHAIR of Judiciary), send letter about oversight of the DEA in the aftermath of the Inspector Generals’ report about killings in Ahuas, Honduras.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 5, 2017 CONTACT Sean Bartlett/Sue Walitsky, 202.224.4651 Cardin Condemns Attack on Honduran Environmental Activists, including Berta Caceres’ Daughter U.S. Senator has repeatedly called for justice in murder of Caceres, end to impunity in Honduras WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released
The Friendship Office is deeply saddened by the passing of Padre Miquel dEscoto who died on June 9, 2017 after 84 years of life fully lived. In the many tributes to his life and legacy, Miquel is described as, a Latin American prophet of peace inspired by Sandino and Bolivar,kkll Dorothy Day, Gandhi and Martin Luther King… An uncompromising anti-imperialist…a Chancellor of Peace and Dignity…a voice of conscience who spoke truth to power and expected others to do the same.
The Friendship Office is deeply saddened by the passing of Padre Miquel dEscoto who died on June 9, 2017 after 84 years of life fully lived. In the many tributes to his life and legacy, Miquel is described as, a Latin American prophet of peace inspired by Sandino and Bolivar,kkll Dorothy Day, Gandhi and Martin Luther King… An uncompromising anti-imperialist…a Chancellor of Peace and Dignity…a voice of conscience who spoke truth to power and expected others to do the same.
A new report by the Offices of Inspector General of the US Justice and State Departments established that the DEA repeatedly lied to Congress about killing civilians in the remote village of Ahuas, Honduras. On May 11, 2012 four passengers in a river boat were killed when they were shot from helicopters during a joint antinarcotics operation by the Honduran police and the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The victims included two pregnant women. Three others were injured and several children were left orphaned.
Following the postponement of the preliminary hearing in the case of Berta Caceres for a second time, Amnesty International issued a Public Statement outlining concerns about due process, right to justice, truth, reparation and the failure of the Honduran Public Prosecutor to make progress in identifying the intellectual authors of the murder.Read the statement here: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/amr37/6335/2017/en/
When will the abuse and impunity on the part of the Public Ministry and the Judicial power end in the case Berta Cáceres? Do the intellectual authors of this crime have so much power that they can openly be subjected to the justice system and nothing happens?
58 House Representatives and 20 Senators sent letters to the Secretary of State Tillerson, registering concern about U.S. assistance to the Honduran government in light of ongoing threats and assassinations of human rights defenders and land rights and environmental activists. See House and Senate Letters – attached.
