[JURIST] UN Special Rapporteur Michael Frost [official profile] urged [press release] Honduras on Friday to protect human rights defenders and their families in light of the recent deaths of prominent activists. Frost’s plea follows last Tuesday’s murder of Nelson García, a leader of the Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations Honduras [official website, in Spanish] (COPINH). García was shot by unidentified gunmen after attempting to intervene in a forced eviction in Río Lindo. Less than two weeks prior, COPINH founder Berta Cáceres [backgrounder] was shot in her home for opposing the ongoing Agua Zarca dam project. These recent losses have highlighted Honduras’ status as the most dangerous country for human rights defenders, and Frost has advised the government of its obligation to prevent further killings. Furthermore, Frost has called for the immediate condemnation and investigation of these murders. FMO, a major financier behind the Agua Zarca dam, has reportedly suspended [press release] all activities in Honduras to pressure the government into investigating human defender killings. Lacking faith in a Honduran-led investigation, Cáceres’ family plans [IBT report] to visit Capitol Hill this week to discuss a possible third party investigation handled by the Obama administration. US ambassador James Nealon [official profile] has already stated that he would offer embassy resources to Honduras to launch a proper investigation.

Honduras has been experiencing unrest throughout the country for some time now. Last November a UN human rights expert urged [JURIST report] Honduras to address internal displacement caused by organized gang violence and a failing criminal justice system. UN human rights expert Victoria Tauli-Corpuz expressed [JURIST report] concern about the situation faced by the indigenous people of Honduras, specifically in connection with their land and natural resource rights, their lack of access to justice, education and health, and the general environment of violence and impunity affecting their communities. In October Honduran Congressional Vice President Lena Gutierrez began her trial [JURIST report] for her role in the nation’s recent medical sale scandal. The charges include falsification of public documents and fraud against the government by drug sales to the Ministry of Health. In June thousands of protesters marched [JURIST report] in Honduras on calling for the resignation of President Juan Hernandez and demanding an independent investigation into his role in an ongoing corruption scandal.