Honduran supreme court orders release of six anti-mining protesters

• Due process rights violated in pre-trial detention, court rules
• Environmentalists were trying to protect river in national park

The Honduran supreme court has ordered the release of six anti-mining protesters, ruling that they should never have been put on trial.

The environmentalists, who have been held on remand for two and half years for trying to protect a river in a national park, faced up to 14 years in prison after being convicted on Wednesday of criminal damage and illegal detention. Two others were absolved of the same charges.