The Peace Brigades International-Honduras Project is urging “the international community to ensure the safety of the Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH) following the presentation of the final report by the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts (GIEI) on the murder of human rights defender Berta Cáceres.”
The PBI-Honduras Alert can be read in full here.
Notably, it highlights: “The GIEI establishes that ‘the crime was foreseeable and preventable,” that is, the State was aware of the planning of the assassination, however, it did not take timely measures to protect Berta’s life, even though she had protection measures in place.”
PBI-Honduras adds: “The GIEI established a concrete and specific roadmap for the State of Honduras to provide reparations to the victims of Berta Cáceres’s murder, including … reforms to the National Protection Mechanism… “
PBI-Honduras also notes: “On June 16, 2025, amidst the GIEI investigations, COPINH denounced the leak of sensitive information about its protection measures, an event that once again highlights the structural weaknesses of the National Protection Mechanism emphasized by the GIEI.”
Then, PBI-Honduras makes several recommendations to the international community, including: “Follow up, within the framework of their bilateral relations with the State of Honduras, on the implementation of the comprehensive reparations plan developed by the GIEI.” This would include, as noted above, reforms that would strengthen the National Protection Mechanism.
The Protection Mechanism
After his May 2018 visit to Honduras, then-Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Michel Forst explained: “In 2015, the Honduran Congress adopted a law to protect human rights defenders, journalists, social communicators and persons responsible for the administration of justice8. With the support of human rights defenders and civil society, this law led to the set-up of the National Protection Mechanism – and the development of its regulatory framework.”
The Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) has also previously explained: “The General Directorate of the National Protection System intervenes in precautionary measures granted by the IACHR [Inter-American Commission on Human Rights], having taken up 24 cases by the end of 2017.”
Protection measures for Cáceres
In February 2018, the Research Directorate of the Immigration & Refugee Board of Canada noted in their “Honduras: Information Gathering Mission Report” that: “Cáceres had Precautionary Measures ordered by the IACHR [Inter-American Commission on Human Rights] since 2009; however, prior to her killing, she had indicated that she was constantly being harassed and intimidated. Cáceres had reported that she received 33 death threats for her campaign against the construction of a hydroelectric dam by a company with ‘extensive military and government links.’”
Indigenous environmental human rights defenders call for the Mechanism to be strengthened
In April 2025, this report “jointly drafted with forty indigenous Lenca and Maya Chortí’ environmental human rights defenders from the departments of La Paz, Intibucá and Copan” called on the Government of Honduras to “Carry out an inclusive consultation with civil society and other beneficiaries to reform the NPM before the 2027 UPR mid-term review. Ensure it adequately responds to the risk profiles of each category of beneficiary (human rights defenders, journalists, social communicators and justice operators). Publish a clear action plan and monitoring systems to strengthen the NPM.”
Canada calls for a strengthening of the Mechanism
On November 7, 2025, a representative of the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, stated: “Canada recommends that Honduras fully implement the National Protection Mechanism by establishing robust accountability measures for state authorities who fail to provide adequate protection to human rights defenders, including Indigenous rights defenders, environmental rights defenders, and journalists.”
Our ask
PBI-Canada encourages the Embassy of Canada in Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua, in accordance with “Voices at Risk: Canada’s Guidelines on Supporting Human Rights Defenders“ to ensure the security of COPINH after the presentation of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights GIEI final report and to continue to call for the strengthening of the Protection Mechanism.
Further reading: PBI-Canada examines Protection Mechanisms for human rights defenders and journalists in Mexico, Honduras, Colombia and Guatemala (January 16, 2026).
