/ / HONDURAS: END CRIMINALIZATION OF GARIFUNA LAND DEFENDERS

HONDURAS: END CRIMINALIZATION OF GARIFUNA LAND DEFENDERS

UA: 89.26

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Five members of Organización Fraternal Negra Hondureña (OFRANEH) are facing criminal proceedings after being arrested during a police operation in the Garífuna community of San Juan, Tela. They are accused of aggravated usurpation for defending ancestral territory. Their prosecution comes amid racist rhetoric targeting Garífuna communities and Honduras’ failure to fully implement four Inter-American Court of Human Rights judgments protecting Garífuna territorial rights.

Call on the Public Prosecutor’s Office to end the criminalization of these five defenders and ensure that Garífuna people can defend their ancestral territories without fear of harassment.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: November 5, 2026

Here is how you can take action:

Send a letter to the Honduran authorities
Send an email to the Honduran authorities
Post on social media

Scroll down to Step 1 and Step 2 to access the full Urgent Action appeal and sample letter, and U.S.P.S. mailing address (if available).

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Step 1

READ THE FULL URGENT ACTION

Enter your email address and zip code to get the sample letter to send to government officials.

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You can now write a letter in your own words or download the sample below as a guide.

Remember to send your letter by November 5, 2026.

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Sample Letter

Dear General Attorney,

I am deeply concerned by the ongoing criminal prosecution of Deinor Osmany Mejía Arzu, Irbin Rene López Cortes, Carlos Enrique Fernández Guzmán, Onil Rigoberto Hernández Zelaya, and Sara Abigail Acosta, five members of the Garífuna community of San Juan and the Organización Fraternal Negra Hondureña (OFRANEH), who were arrested following a police operation in July 2026. More than 200 police officers reportedly arrived in the community to carry out an eviction, during which security forces used tear gas and fired live ammunition, according to testimonies. Although the five defenders were released hours later, they continue to face criminal proceedings for aggravated usurpation for defending their ancestral territory and could face prison sentences. OFRANEH has also reported campaigns of stigmatization and racial discrimination aimed at undermining the legitimacy of its work and its demands to protect Garífuna people’s rights.

Their prosecution appears to be part of a broader pattern of criminalization affecting Garífuna communities seeking protection of their collective land rights. This situation is particularly alarming given that Honduras has been repeatedly condemned by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights for violations against Garífuna communities, in particular land and economic, social and cultural rights, and remains under an obligation to comply with those judgments.

I urge you to take all necessary measures to end the criminalization of these five defenders and ensure that Garífuna people can freely carry out their legitimate human rights activities without intimidation, discrimination, or judicial harassment.

Yours sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]

Sample Social Post

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Send a message to Debretsion Gebremichael on Facebook

Step 2

Send your message

Mail your letter to the government officials listed below. You can also email, fax, call, or post about them on social media.

Send your letter to:

General Attorney

Pablo Emilio Reyes Theodore

Lomas del Guijarro

Tegucigalpa, Honduras

[email protected]

and

CC: Honduran Embassy in the United States

Send a copy of your letter to the address below

1220 19th St NW #320,

Washington, D.C. 20036

[email protected]

When writing your letter, don’t forget to be factual, brief, and show respect. See more letter writing tips and emails, or organize and host a letter writing party.

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