Criminal Justice

Daniel Meraz received an 18-year, 9-month prison sentence after admitting to the aggravated femicide of his ex-partner, nurse Elvia Mercedes Gómez López, 30, who died on June 3 in San Manuel, Cortés.

OFRANEH, a Garífuna rights organization, set up a permanent encampment at Honduras's Supreme Court to demand the dismissal of criminal charges against five San Juan residents accused of land occupation, citing a favorable Inter-American Court ruling and alleging a conflict of interest involving the court president and a wealthy family claiming the same land.

A prominent defense lawyer argues that Honduras's justice system treats environmental and land-rights activists like high-risk criminals while showing leniency toward powerful figures, citing the cases of Guapinol and five Garifuna defenders arrested in San Juan.

Congress is considering a proposal that would create a legal presumption protecting homeowners and business owners who use deadly force to repel intruders, aiming to prevent automatic criminal prosecution of property defenders.

A Honduran court has convicted 11 former agents of DIPAMPCO, a now-defunct police unit, the Public Ministry announced.