Environmental Human Rights: News & Updates

attempted assassinations of land rights defenders on the Atlantic coast: Vidal Leiva (President of the Committee for the Defense of Land of the [Afro-descendant] Garífuna communities Crystals and Black River), Irma Lemus and Rigoberto Duran (Permanent Observatory of Human Rights of Aguán (OPDHA).

assassination of Daniel Abril, member of the Movement of Victims of State Crimes (MOVICE), who had been vocal about human rights abuses committed by oil companies in Casanare Department. Also: death threats to María Cardona Mejía, technical secretary of the Caldas Department chapter of MOVICE.

shooting of environmental defenders Marlon Loy Domínguez, Estuardo Bran Clavel, and Alex Reynoso, whose 16-year old daughter Topacio was killed (RRN letter May 24 2014) in demonstration against Tahoe Resources’ open-pit silver mine El Escobal in Jalapa Department

assassination of 70-year-old Sebastian Córdova Sajic, a human rights defender and spiritual leader and one of few survivors of genocide against the Ixil Maya indigenous people in El Quiché Department

assassination of environmental human rights defender Professor Rigoberto Lima Choc, who documented harm resulting from the palm plantation REPSA in El Petén Dept., and kidnapping and threats to members of the Commission for the Defense of Life and Nature (Hermelindo Asij, Lorenzo Pérez and Manuel Mendoza)

unjust 2-year detention and false criminal charges against Saúl Méndez and Rogelio Velásquez, members of the people’s organized resistance to a hydroelectric dam project in Santa Cruz Barillas, Huehuetenango Dept.

intimidation of and shots fired outside the office of CALAS, an environmental group denouncing abuses by Tahoe Resources mining company in Santa Rosa Dept.

death threats to Miguel Briceño, leader of the peasant farmer community of El Povenir in Puerto Gaitán Municipality, Meta Department

unjust detention of Bernardo Ermitaño López Reyes, member of the Council of Mayan People and community leader with high profile in the people’s organized resistance to a hydroelectric dam project in Santa Cruz Barillas, Huehuetenango Dept.