On 28 November 2018, a Sentencing Tribunal of the Honduran Judiciary in Tegucigalpa convicted seven men of the murder of the Lenca leader, an environmental and indigenous rights defender who was shot dead in her home on the night of 2 March 2016. Significant concerns have been expressed internationally about the trial, particularly regarding the exclusion of victims and the delay in trial proceedings.
Berta Cáceres had led protests and spoken out against the construction of the Agua Zarca dam, which threatened the traditional lands and water resources of the local Lenca indigenous communities. The project was being built on the Rio Gualcarque, a river considered sacred by the indigenous Lenca peoples.
“While we acknowledge that the decision of the court is a positive development, we remain concerned that the intellectual authors and the financiers of the crime have still not been investigated, prosecuted and sanctioned,” the experts said. “We call on the Honduran authorities to ensure complete and transparent justice for Berta Cáceres.”