15 years of pain: Parents of 2009 Honduras coup victim seek justice - Video
The parents of Isis Obed Murillo, a young man killed during the 2009 coup that overthrew President Manuel Zelaya in Honduras, are calling for a conviction against General Romeo Vasquez, who was the head of the Armed Forces at the time.
Vasquez, arrested on January 5, faces allegations of involvement in the military killings of two individuals during the coup.
He has been detained at Tamara prison near Tegucigalpa, awaiting his first trial hearing scheduled for January 10.
Bertha Oliva, the general coordinator of the Committee of the Families of the Detained Disappeared in Honduras (COFADEH), emphasised the gravity of the charges.
“Defenders of Mr. Romeo Vasquez Velasquez, let it be clear that you are facing a case of human rights violations, a case against humanity. Crimes against humanity are imprescriptible,” she is quoted by the AFP.
Silvia Mancia, the mother of Isis Obed Murillo, shared her anguish over the years since her son’s death.
“There have been very difficult moments over these 15 years. There has been suffering and pain; sometimes the wound closes, and then it reopens. But here we are, and we are asking for justice. Even if it is crying in the streets, even if it is crying in the meetings, we are asking for justice,” she said.
David Lopez, the father of Murillo, echoed the call for accountability. “We only want justice. We want justice so that Honduras can live as a free, sovereign, and independent country, as the slogan on the National Coat of Arms says,” he said.
