The Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts (GIEI) was created in 2025 to strengthen the investigation surrounding the killing of woman human rights defender Berta Cáceres. It was established as a result of an agreement between the State of Honduras, the IACHR, and the parties to Provisional Measure 112/16 in early 2025. With rigorous evidence-based analysis, the GIEI’s work revealed the criminal structure that perpetrated the murder of the woman defender and other serious attacks against COPINH members, and it developed specific recommendations to achieve truth, justice, reparation for the victims and guarantees of non-repetition.
The report of the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts on the Berta Cáceres case was presented during the 195th Period of Sessions of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights at a public hearing on 11 March 2026.
Far from addressing the well-founded recommendations of the group of experts and fulfilling its obligation to protect and guarantee human rights, the representatives of the Honduran State questioned the legitimacy and legality of the GIEI, rejected the independence and professionalism of its members, and adopted a stance aimed at obstructing any progress towards implementing the findings of the investigation.
The Honduran government’s arguments were strongly refuted by members of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, who defended both the agreement and the work of the GIEI, and highlighted the gravity that the State would use arguments from one of the masterminds behind the murder of Berta Cáceres - Daniel Atala - to discredit the investigation.
During the hearing, the Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH) denounced the lack of guarantees for the protection of rights defenders who are members of the organization, and the high levels of risk that they face.
Based on IM-Defensoras’ Registry of Attacks, between 2020 and December 2025, 659 attacks were documented against COPINH and the women defenders who are part of the organization; most of these were collective attacks (67%). The State appears as the main perpetrator of these attacks (31%); in the majority of these cases, it was found that these State actors are protecting the economic interests of landowners and extractivist corporations.
The National Network of Women Human Rights Defenders in Honduras and IM-Defensoras demand that the State of Honduras address and implement the GIEI’s recommendations as soon as possible. Otherwise, it would be delaying access to justice for the victims of this serious murder. We also remind the State of its obligation to protect COPINH’s members and the family of woman defender Berta Cáceres, who have been granted protective measures by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
Lastly, we call on social movements, feminist and human rights organizations to remain alert to the situation of our sisters and brothers from COPINH.