jueves, 10 de noviembre de 2016

Berta Cáceres Case: Creation of International Group of Experts to Collaborate with Investigation

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.
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