26. On January 25, 1998, in a Special Session of the Catacamas Municipal Council, Mayor Alejandro Fredy Salgado Cardona (hereinafter, "Mayor Salgado") appointed Mr. Luna López to the Municipal Environmental Commission, with the recommendation that he review all the land titles of communal properties in the Municipality, the number of titles held by the Municipality and investigate the Municipality’s upcoming lumber auctions.38 In addition, on April 21, 1998, Mr. Luna López was appointed Head of the Catacamas Environmental Unit.39 27. In his position as member of the Catacamas City Council and Head of its Environmental Unit, Mr. Luna López complained to the relevant judicial authorities and the media about alleged acts of corruption, illegal exploitation of the forest by the companies “PROFOFI,” “IMARA” and “La Fosforera,” and the use of “phantom cooperatives” known as the “Quebrada de Catacamas,” for illegal forest exploitation.40 B. 2. Threats suffered by Carlos Luna López and his family 28. On the night of February 26, 1998, Mr. José Ángel Rosa, a lumber merchant and rancher,41 threatened Mr. Luna López by pointing a gun to his head and firing into the air. The dispute took place following the accusations made by Carlos Luna López concerning problems with the extraction of lumber.42 That same day he called the Public Prosecutor to denounce this threat. On the basis of this complaint, a meeting took place in the Public Prosecutor’s office in which Mr. Rosa apologized to Carlos Luna López and stated that at the 38 Cf. Certified copy of Minutes No. 4 of the Special Session of the Catacamas Municipality on January 25, 1998, (File of attachments of the Report on Merits, page 404). 39 Cf. Certified copy of Minutes No. 14 of the Regular Session of the Catacamas Municipality on April 21, 1998, (File of attachments of the Report on Merits, page 406) and testimony of Alejandro Fredy Salgado Cardona rendered on June 10, 1998 (File of attachments to final written arguments, page 9403). 40 Cf. Complaint filed by Carlos Antonio Luna López before the Public Prosecutor on February 28, 1998, marked as No. 068-98 (File of attachments to the Report on Merits, pages 494 and 495); article published in the newspaper El Heraldo on March 7, 1998, supra; interview with Carlos Luna on the radio program Estamos a Tiempo, supra; interview on the program Sucesos de la Voz de Olancho, April 7, 1998, supra; affidavit rendered by Rosa Margarita Valle Hernández on January 21, 2013 (file on Merit, page 563); affidavit rendered by Carlos Antonio Luna Valle on January 21, 2013 (file on Merit, page 578) and testimony of Inés Verónica Mejía Herrera rendered on July 16, 1998 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 5029). 41 Cf. Witness testimonies rendered before the Catacamas Civil Court, specifically: statement of Henry Guillermo Bustillo rendered on August 6, 1998 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 5052); statement of Carlos Antonio Luna Valle rendered on August 26, 1998 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 5091); statement of María Teodora Ruiz Escoto rendered on November 30, 1998 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 5214); statement of Alejandro Fredy Salgado rendered on February 17, 2000 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 5311); statement of Manuel Antonio Pacheco rendered on April 5, 2000 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 5382) and statement of the defendant Jose Ángel Rosa rendered on October 1, 2002 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 5871). 42 Cf. Witness statements rendered before the Catacamas Civil Court, specifically: statement of Inés Verónica Mejía Herrera rendered on July 16, 1998 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 5029); statement of Deira Idhelin Rodríguez Cruz rendered on July 9, 1998 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 5049); statement of Henry Guillermo Bustillo Rosales rendered on August 6, 1998 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 5052); statement of Rosa Margarita Valle Hernández rendered on August 24, 1998 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 5077); statement of Carlos Antonio Luna Valle rendered on August 26, 1998 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 5091); statement of Ángel Estanislao Martínez rendered on October 19, 1998 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 5159); statement of Luis Felipe Rosales López rendered on November 19, 1998 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 5203); statement of José Guillermo Peralta rendered on November 30, 1998 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 5211); statement of María Teodora Ruiz Escoto rendered on November 30, 1998 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 5214); statement of Alejandro Fredy Salgado rendered on February 17, 2000 (File of attachments to the State’s response, 5311); statement of Oscar Orlando Palacios Moya rendered on February 17, 2000 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 5314), and statement of Manuel Antonio Pacheco rendered on April 5, 2000 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 5382). 13