Tegucigalpa, 7th November 2016: At the
request of Berta Cáceres Flores’ family, and with support from the Civil
Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH), Gustavo
Castro Soto and numerous other national and international organisations, the
International Expert Advisory Panel (GAIPE) was created. The panel consists of
a team of specialists in international human rights, criminal, and comparative criminal
law.
GAIPE’s primary objective is to carry out an
independent, impartial, and objective examination of the attack that occurred on
March 2, 2016 against Berta Cáceres Flores and Gustavo Castro Soto.
Additionally, GAIPE will investigate the context and modus operandi that gave rise to Berta Cáceres’ murder and resulted
in threats and violence against other members of COPINH.
GAIPE will monitor
the Honduran criminal investigation with a multicultural and gender perspective.
The panel will also issue recommendations to guarantee that the facts are fully
clarified and the victims receive comprehensive reparations for the harms
suffered. Further, GAIPE seeks to improve
local criminal investigations of threats and violence against human rights
defenders throughout the country.
“We are making our experience and skills available to ensure that the truth
is quickly revealed and there is justice in this case,” said Liliana Uribe, Colombian lawyer and
spokesperson for the group.
The team consists of Liliana Uribe (Colombia), Miguel
Ángel Urbina (Guatemala), Roxanna Altholz (United States), Daniel R. Saxon
(Netherlands/United States), and Jorge Molano (Colombia). Each member has
extensive experience and technical skills related to the investigation of human
rights violations.
GAIPE arrived in Honduras on November 4th
to meet with the Cáceres’ family and Gustavo Castro’s and Caceres’ legal teams,
COPINH, and to establish a dialogue with national authorities and organizations,
in addition to other stakeholders.
On November
14th at 9:30am, GAIPE will hold a press conference to provide additional information. The press event
will take place in the Lenca meeting
room, Hotel Plaza de El General, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Press Contact:
