Crying Out for Justice for Dionisio Díaz García
Dionisio Díaz García, Honduran, Christian, known as the "lawyer of the poor" for his work defending the labor rights of impoverished workers, was assassinated on December 4, 2006. Justice has yet to be done. But your voice can make a difference.

Sample Letter for Canadian MPs

Dear Sir / Madam ,

Today you can help do justice for a human rights worker who was brutally assassinated in Honduras, and whose work was supported by many of your constituents.

Honduran media have confirmed that on Thursday, Jan. 31, two men were arrested in Honduras, one in the coastal city of La Ceiba and the other in the capital, Tegucigalpa, as suspects in the murder of Honduran, Christian human rights lawyer Dionisio Díaz García. While we are glad to see this progress being made in this important case, we also hope that the Honduran government will follow through with this process by prosecuting those arrested and by identifying, arresting, and bringing to trial the intellectual authors of this crime—the people who hired and paid the hit-men arrested yesterday.

As you may know, on December 4, 2006, Dionisio Díaz García, a Honduran lawyer who was known as “the lawyer of the poor” and whose work involved providing free legal representation to impoverished security guards and other workers whose labor rights were being violated, was shot to death by two hit-men while on his way to court.

Mr. Díaz worked for the Honduran Christian justice organization la Asociación para una Sociedad más Justa (ASJ). Many of your constituents, including myself, strongly support ASJ's efforts to promote justice and the rule of law in Honduras . We are deeply concerned about the lack of progress that has been made in investigating Mr. Díaz's murder and about ongoing threats against his colleagues at ASJ.

Before Mr. Díaz's murder, the Honduran Government's response to reports of threats against ASJ justice workers was characterized by negligence and lack of interest. Unfortunately, the year since Mr. Díaz's assassination has also been marked by high levels of corruption, negligence, and incompetence on the part of the Honduran Government.

Failing to take official testimony in anticipation of a possible trial (a routine measure in Honduras ) caused severe damage to the case when a key witness was murdered and his testimony thus lost. Unexplained disappearances of official documents, exaggerated delays, and the failure to perform routine actions are just some of the problems permitted and caused by the Honduran Government and which have undermined the investigation of Mr. Díaz's assassination.

The mismanagement of this case stands out all the more compared with the efficiency with which the Honduran government has processed a half-dozen attacks initiated through the court system against ASJ justice workers by a private security company whose employees were among those Mr. Díaz helped.

Canadian influence certainly has played a role in pressuring the Honduran Government to take the small steps it has taken towards doing justice for Mr. Díaz. I believe that your voice is crucial for increasing this pressure on the Honduran Government so that they produce real results in doing justice for Dionisio.

Specifically, I ask that you and your staff do two things:

1. Contact the Canadian Ambassador to Honduras. Thank him for the efforts he has already made to remind Honduran officials of the importance of this case, and encourage him to keep up the good work.

2. Contact the Honduran Ambassador to Canada and tell him you and your constituents are concerned that Mr. Díaz's assassins be identified, arrested, put on trial, convicted, and imprisoned; that other ASJ justice workers be adequately protected; and that all of these processes be free from corruption and carried out in the most professional manner possible.

With your help, I believe justice truly can be done for Dionisio. Thank you in advance for your support.

Back to Dionisio Main Page

The Association for a More Just Society (AJS) oversees and funds initiatives carried out by Honduran partner organization la Asociación para una Sociedad más Justa (ASJ). AJS is a US-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so all donations to AJS are tax-deductible for US taxpayers.