Tegucigalpa, August 4 (RHC)-- The family of Honduran environmental defender Berta Cáceres, murdered in March 2016, has called for 25 years in prison for Roberto David Castillo, co-perpetrator of this crime, and to prosecute the masterminds behind her assassination.

"On behalf of the victims, we are demanding the maximum penalty that is established according to the facts that have been proven and the aggravating circumstances," said Bertha Zúñiga, daughter of the murdered environmentalist.

The Honduran Public Prosecutor's Office confirmed the request for 25 years in prison on its Twitter account.  During the hearing held on the same day, the defense of the condemned man requested the minimum sentence of 20 years in prison.

The judges that make up the Sentencing Court did not provide a date for the reading of the sentence, arguing that the trial was complex and given that there were many pieces of evidence  that the magistrates must address to define it, it would not be ready within the five days established by law. 

The daughter of Berta Cáceres requested the Sentencing Court issue its ruling "within the established procedural time frame, which is 30 working days from the date, since the courts have had the practice of extending themselves on this issue."

Berta Cáceres was assassinated on March 2, 2016 by gunfire in her home for her opposition to the construction of the Agua Zarca hydroelectric dam in the Rio Blanco community, despite having precautionary measures from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to protect her from the constant threats she was receiving.

Roberto Castillo, executive of the company Desarrollos Energéticos S.A (DESA), was found guilty last June 5th as co-perpetrator of the murder of the environmental defender.

In December 2019, a Honduran court sentenced four of eight defendants to 34 years in prison for the murder of Cáceres.  Three others were sentenced to 30 years in prison as co-perpetrators of the crime.