IIn October 2019, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) issued a country report on Honduras. The report was based on a field visit to Honduras in 2018 to gather evidence on the human rights situation. The report documents a wide range of human rights violations and failures of public institutions to comply with internationalContinue reading “2019 IACHR issues report on the Situation of Human Rights in Honduras”
Subsoil Country Archives
2019 National Protection System recognises the CMDBCP as a human rights organization
In August 2019, the National System for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders officially recognised in written correspondence DGSP234-2019 that the CMDBCP is an organization engaged in activities of the legtimate defence of human rights. As such, a key branch of the state human rights aparatus recognised the CMDBCP as human rights actors, enabling theContinue reading “2019 National Protection System recognises the CMDBCP as a human rights organization”
2019 Visit of the UN Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises
In 2019 the UN Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises visited Honduras to assess the State’s compliance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The Working Group made a number of criticisms regarding the regulation of corporate activity and human rights impacts, particularlyContinue reading “2019 Visit of the UN Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises”
2021 UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention issued opinion on detained CMDBCP environmental defenders
In March 2021, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention issued Opinion 85/2020 declaring the eight Guapinol environmental defenders to be arbitrarily detained according to international human rights law which Honduras is legally bound to adhere to. The Working Group called on the Government of Honduras to remedy the situation by immediately releasing theContinue reading “2021 UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention issued opinion on detained CMDBCP environmental defenders”
2021 UN High Commissioner for Human Rights report to the Human Rights Council on Honduras
On Feburary 2021 the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights provided a country report to the High Commissioner included in the annual report to the Human Rights Council. The report raised a series of human rights concerns, including the misuse of the judicial system in the Guapinol case in order to unfairlyContinue reading “2021 UN High Commissioner for Human Rights report to the Human Rights Council on Honduras”
2002 Criminal complaint filed for contamination to Malake River
In 2002, Siria Valley Environmental Committee (CAVS) filed a criminal complaint with the public prosecutor for crimes against health in relation to contamination of the Malake River. However, the complaint did not result in charges or legal action against those responsible.
2000 Community organizations challenge legality of environmental permit
In June 2010, the Siria Valley Environmental Committee (CAVS) and other civil society organizations filed an administrative challenge to the legality of the Honduran Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (SERNA) granting an environmental permit for exploitation of the San Martín concession. The legal challenge was unsuccessful (CIDSE, 2009: 69).
1997 Enactment of Treaty for the Execution of the Trifinio Plan
In 1987, a long-mooted agreement between El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala was developed to establish the transnational Biosphere Reserve in the cloud forest covering the Montecristo massif which lies on the border of the three countries. The region is home to rare flora and fauna as well as serving as the catchment zone for threeContinue reading “1997 Enactment of Treaty for the Execution of the Trifinio Plan”
2006-2009 Draft Mining Law proposed by civil society organizations
In 2006, the Civic Alliance for Democracy (ACD), a network of 35 social organizations in Honduras working to defend the interests of communities against mining companies, submitted a proposal for a new mining law that, among other things, ended the use of cyanide and other toxic substances, prohibited open pit mining, required community consultations/referendum priorContinue reading “2006-2009 Draft Mining Law proposed by civil society organizations”
1998-2013 Honduran Mining Laws
In 1998, the Honduran Government passed the General Mining Law (“1998 Mining Law”). The law was passed in the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch – a natural disaster that caused significant damage throughout the country – and enabled a new regulatory regime for mining in Honduras. Some critics point out that the legislative drafting and enactmentContinue reading “1998-2013 Honduran Mining Laws”
