GENEVA - The final report of the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts on the murder of Berta Cáceres is crucially important, The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Mary Lawlor* said today, expressing grave concern about the threats human rights defenders in Honduras continue to face.
"Ten years after the cowardly murder of Berta Cáceres, the findings and recommendations of the final report represent a crucial step on the road to justice and truth. They highlight the systemic gaps that persist in the protection of human rights defenders in Honduras, and the structural causes of their insecurity," the expert said.
Berta Cáceres was an indigenous Lenca human rights defender. She was murdered on 2 March 2016 at her home in retaliation for her work defending the Lenca community of Rio Blanco against the Agua Zarca hydroelectric project. Although the justice system handed down final convictions for the material perpetrators of her murder, it hasn't properly investigated the architects behind it, nor those involved in financing the murder.
The Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts (GIEI), through the Agreement signed by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the State of Honduras, and the representing party, was created in February 2025 to advance investigation of the facts related to the murder of human rights defender Berta Cáceres and propose a comprehensive plan for reparation and guarantees of non-repetition.
On 12 January 2026, it published its final report in which it concludes that the death of Berta Cáceres was the result of a planned criminal operation, executed through an organised structure involving the joint participation of various actors, including groups of hired gunmen and corporate executives. The GIEI highlights the context of cover-up and omission by State agents and international financiers.
"The final report shows that Berta Cáceres was murdered in a context marked by structural violence directed at indigenous, territorial and environmental human rights defenders which still persists in Honduras," Lawlor said.
"The State has an obligation to punish, provide reparation and ensure guarantees of non-repetition, including the reform of structures that enable continued threats, harassment and attacks against human rights defenders."
The Special Rapporteur said there has been a worrying increase in violence and threats against human rights defenders in Honduras recently, in particular indigenous women defenders.
"Honduras must guarantee collective and comprehensive protection measures for defenders, that assess risk from a gender perspective and consider structural factors of violence and criminalisation, as well as threats linked to extractive projects," she said.
Lawlor called for the full implementation of the recommendations by the Group of Experts and remains in contact with the Government of Honduras on this issue.
