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Entrepreneur Castillo co-authored the murder of activist Caceres, who opposed his project of building a hydroelectric dam in the Gualcarque river, sacred for the Lenca indigenous people.
On Thursday, the Honduran Supreme Justice Court (CSJ) reported that it will announce on April 4 the sentence against ex-military David Castillo, who was an accomplice of the murder of the Lenca Indigenous environmentalist Berta Caceres on March 2, 2016.
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As CEO of the Energy Development (DESA), Castillo prompted the construction of the hydroelectric dam Agua Zarca, a project to which Caceres forcibly opposed since it was located in the Gualcarque river, sacred for the Lenca Indigenous people.
In August 2021, the Public Prosecutor’s Office asked the CSJ to impose a maximum sentence of 25 years on Castillo, who co-authored the crime for ideological reasons. The CSJ, however, did not announce a decision on the matter until Thursday.
"I think the CSJ should explain the reasons for its delay, which exceeded seven months," stated Caceres’ daughter Berta Zuñiga, who is the Honduran Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations (COPINH) Coordinator.
It’s so powerful/emotional seeing ppl be freed after unjustly imprisoned for fighting for what they believe in
— Karen Spring (@springkj) February 11, 2022
So happy to see court rule in favour of #Guapinol water defenders
Congrats to families, communities, legal team, solidarity orgs that worked for this victory #Honduras pic.twitter.com/iWqvcBFHWq
Caceres was shot dead in her home even though she had received precautionary measures from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), which had reported multiple death threats against her.
In Dec. 2019, Honduras’ National Court sentenced Edilson Duarte, Henry Hernandez, Elvin Rapalo, and Oscar Torres to 50 years in prison for murdering the environmentalist and attempting to kill Mexican activist Gustavo Castro, who was a Caceres’ guest on the day of the crime.
"I cannot say that I feel satisfaction because I will not see Bertha again, kiss her, or hug her, but I am glad to know that these killers will pay for their crimes," Caceres’ mother Austra Flores stated.
Honduras: Xiomara Castro leads the elections. pic.twitter.com/IHZfjkzGi4
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) November 29, 2021
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