/ / HONDURAS: GARIFUNA COMMUNITY AT RISK IN CAYOS COCHINOS

HONDURAS: GARIFUNA COMMUNITY AT RISK IN CAYOS COCHINOS

UA: 98.26

Only 28 days left to join us and support this case!

Garifuna defenders of the Cayos Cochinos are facing an eviction order for protesting peacefully since September 14, 2026 against the filming of a TV reality show on their ancestral lands without their consent. 11 people are also facing criminal charges of usurpation. Legal harassment continues despite a 2025 ruling of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) that found Honduras responsible for violating the rights of the Garifuna community of Cayos Cochinos.

We call on the Public Prosecutor’s Office to request the lift of the eviction order, cease criminalization, and ensure Honduras comply with the IACHR ruling.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: November 4, 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).

Take action

Step 1

READ THE FULL URGENT ACTION

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

Thank you for signing up!

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 4, 2026.

Download PDF

Download Word

Sample Letter

Dear Attorney General,

I am concerned about the situation of Garifuna human rights defenders of the Cayos Cochinos islands, who face an eviction order from their own ancestral territory, and criminal charges for peacefully defending their rights. On September 16, dozens of policemen arrived by boat to carry out an order of “preventive eviction”. Authorities indicated that 11 defenders were also facing usurpation charges.

Two days before, about 40 Garifuna defenders of the (OFRANEH) set up a camp in playa uva to protest against the filming of a new season of a reality TV show that unduly restricts their use of their own land and threatens their ancestral practices and livelihoods by preventing them to access fishing areas. They also denounce that these activities endanger the local ecosystems. Since then, policemen have arrived at the camp on several occasions to check alleged misconducts by protesters.

This eviction order is contrary to the ruling issued by the Inter American Court of Human rights in favor of the Garifuna community of Cayos Cochinos and international law standards on forced evictions. In 2025 that court determined that Honduras violated their right to free, prior, and informed consultation and ordered several measures to cease the violations and repair the damages already caused. These events add to the context of threats and intimidation directed against the Garifuna people for defending their rights over their ancestral territory.

I urge you to immediately request the lift of the eviction order, to cease criminalization against Garifuna defenders of Cayos Cochinos, and to take all necessary measures to fully comply with the ruling of the Interamerican Court in their favor that is binding for all Honduran authorities.

Yours sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]

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.

Additional Resources and Ways to Act

Take More Action

Extend your impact with these opportunities to fight for the human rights of more individuals at risk around the world.

EGYPT: ACTIVIST DENIED HEALTHCARE AMID UNJUST TRIAL

UA : Second 1.26

Egyptian human rights activist and translator Marwa Arafa has been arbitrarily detained for over six years solely in relation to her human rights work, including sup…

Take Action

BURUNDI: IMMEDIATELY RELEASE HUMANITARIAN WORKER

UA : 97.26

Benjamin Babunga, a Congolese humanitarian worker and critic of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government has been arbitrarily detained in Burundi since his …

Take Action

VENEZUELA: END ARBITRARY DETENTIONS AND PROSECUTIONS

UA : Tenth 72.24

Between September 22 and 26, 2026, some arbitrary detainees were released, including Damián Rojas, Nudre Chourio, and Renny González. Thousands of former victims o…

Take Action

Receive timely opportunities to speak out for people whose human rights are under attack.

"*" indicates required fields

This field is hidden when viewing the form

Global Opt-in

This field is hidden when viewing the form

UAN Opt-in

Name*

Email*

Mobile Number

By providing your mobile number, you are signing up to receive calls, recurring messages from Amnesty International USA. Reply STOP to quit. Msg and data rates may apply. Privacy & Terms.