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1959
Creation of the IACHR
12 and 18 August 1959
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights was created through Resolution VIII, "Human Rights".
The resolution was passed during the fifth Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Santiago, Chile.
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
| The foundations were laid for the future work of the IACHR. | The process of approving the IACHR Statute was set into motion. |
| Related links: | |
1960
Approval of the IACHR Statute
May 25, 1960
The Organization of American States approved the first statute of the IACHR and elected its first seven members.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
| The IACHR was established as an autonomous entity of the OAS to promote respect for human rights, per the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man. | The main function of the IACHR is defined following Article 106 of the OAS Charter: to promote the observance and defense of human rights and to serve as an advisory body to the Organization in this matter. |
1960
IACHR Activities Begin
October 3, 1960
The Commission began its work, holding its first session in the Columbus Room of the OAS headquarters.
Commissioner Rómulo Gallegos is elected as the first IACHR president.
Importance and Impact
| Impact |
|---|
| This marked the beginning of the construction of the Inter-American Human Rights System. |
1961
First IACHR on-site visit to Dominican Republic
22 - 28 October 1961
The Commission visited the Dominican Republic for the first time to observe the situation in the country and investigate reports of human rights violations.
Subsequently, the Commission published a report based on the findings of the visit on human rights violations perpetrated by security forces and other State actors.
Importance and Impact1962 - 1964
First IACHR recommendations
to an OAS Member State – Cuba
The Commission issued these recommendations to Cuba per the powers given to it in Article 9, Subsection C of its official statute.
Importance and Impact| Impact |
|---|
| This practice has become a crucial tool for promoting and defending human rights throughout the Americas. |
1965
Third Visit to the Dominican Republic
Between June 11, 1965, and June 1, 1966, the Commission conducted its third visit to the Dominican Republic.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
| The Commission investigated numerous complaints of human rights violations and played a key role in peacekeeping operations. | The Commission helped protect the lives of innocent civilians, negotiated the mutual release of prisoners, and secured the release and safe passage of several political leaders. This visit set precedent for country reports following an on-site visit. |
Dominican Republic 1965
1965
In November of 1965, the second Extraordinary Inter-American Conference met in Rio de Janeiro. There, it was decided that some of the Commission's articles should be redrafted.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
| In 1965, the IACHR was expressly authorized to examine complaints or petitions related to specific cases of human rights violations. | Originally, the IACHR did not have the power to examine complaints from individuals regarding human rights violations (as stated by the first President of the Commission in 1960). Through this reform, it has been granted this power. |
1973
on-site visit to Chile in the aftermath of a Coup
July 22 - August 2, 1973
The IACHR visits Chile in response to allegations of serious human rights violations during Augusto Pinochet's coup.
October 25th
The Commission published a report identifying the repeated human rights violations that occurred during and after the coup.
Importance and Impact
| Impact |
|---|
|
The serious human rights violations occurring in that country were exposed. This visit and the subsequent country report made it possible to monitor the processes of justice and reparation for the victims and, later, during the democratic transition for Chile to establish the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and ratify the American Convention. |
1978
The Convention went into effect on July 18, 1978, after receiving the 11 ratifications required by Article 74.2
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
| The Convention came into effect amidst military coups, weak civilian governments under military control, and systematic human rights violations across the Americas. | The American Convention on Human Rights is the principal international treaty within the Inter-American Human Rights System, aimed at promoting and protecting human rights. It came into effect upon ratification by 11 States and is currently ratified by 24 countries across the Americas. |
| Related links: | |
1979
On-Site Visit to Argentina amid a Military Dictatorship
September 6 - 20, 1979
The Commission visited Argentina, which was under a military dictatorship.
The Commission heard thousands of testimonies from victims of the regime and their families.
Importance and Impact
| Impact |
|---|
| The Commission's intervention was crucial in saving the lives of many individuals held illegally and at risk of forced disappearance. Furthermore, the report documented a systematic pattern of forced disappearances. Ultimately, the Commission played a pivotal role in bringing down the dictatorship. |
1979
Argentina, September 6 - 20, 1979
The IACHR conducted a visit to Argentina September 6-20, after seeking authorization from the government. The delegation was composed of the Chair of the IACHR, Andrés Aguilar; the Vice-Chair, Luis Demetrio Tinoco Castro; Commissioners Marco Gerardo Monroy Cabra, Carlos A. Dunshee de Abranches, Tom J. Farer, and Francisco Bertrand Galindo; the Executive Secretary, Edmundo Vargas Carreño; and human rights specialists Edgardo Paz Barnica, Guillermo Fernández de Soto, Manuel Velasco Clark, and Robert Norris.
The Commission met with dictator Jorge Rafael Videla and the government military junta composed of Roberto E. Viola, Omar D. Graffigna, and Armando Lambruschini, among other authorities. The Commission also visited the cities of Córdoba, Tucumán, and Rosario. The Commission felt it was advisable to visit the former Presidents of the country, and it met with Arturo Frondizi; Roberto M. Levingston; Alejandro Agustín Lanusse; Héctor J. Cámpora, in asylum in the Embassy of Mexico; and Isabel Martínez de Perón, under house arrest in a country house in San Vicente, in Buenos Aires province. The IACHR also visited leaders of religious entities of different faiths; met with leaders of organizations for the protection of human rights; and talked to representatives of political organizations, professional associations, union and trade associations, women's associations, and commercial, industrial, and business entities, among others. During the entire visit, the Commission received complaints about human rights violations in Argentina.
On April 11, 1980, the IACHR approved the Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Argentina .
1979
First Report on Human Rights in Nicaragua
November 17, 1979
The IACHR published the first report on human rights in Nicaragua, using information obtained from the Commission's visit to the country the year prior.
Importance and Impact
| Impact |
|---|
| The reality of systematic human rights violations perpetrated by Anastasio Somoza's government was revealed. |
1978
Nicaragua, October 3, 1978
At the invitation of the government and in consideration of the resolution of the Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the Inter-American Commission began a visit to Nicaragua on October 3, 1978. The delegation was composed of the Chair of the IACHR, Andrés Aguilar; Vice-Chair Carlos A. Dunshee de Abranches; Commissioners Carlos García Bauer, Fernando Volio Jiménez, Tom J. Farer, and Marco Gerardo Monroy Cabra; the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Edmundo Vargas Carreño; Assistant Executive Secretary Charles Moyer; and human rights specialists Roberto Álvarez and Jorge Suárez Marill.
During its visit, the Commission received numerous complaints regarding human rights violations that were occurring under the government of General Anastasio Somoza.
On November 17, 1979, the IACHR approved the Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Nicaragua .
1980
April 11, 1980
The commission published a report on its 1979 visit to Argentina.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
| The report exposed the serious human rights violations committed by the Argentine military dictatorship to the other OAS member States. | A resolution was passed against forced disappearances on the continent (although without mentioning Argentina specifically). It also had an impact internationally, including at the United Nations, since the evidence presented by the IACHR led to the creation of the Working Group on Forced Disappearances. |
Argentina 1980
1980
On-site Visit to Colombia Amidst Armed Conflict
April 21 - 28, 1980
The IACHR assisted with mediation between the Government and the M-19 guerrilla group for the release of more than 50 people who had been held hostage in the embassy of the Dominican Republic in Bogotá since February 27, 1980.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
|
During that visit, the Commission was invited to help mediate between the government and the M-19 guerrilla group for the release of more than 50 people who had been held hostage in the Dominican Republic Embassy in Bogotá since February 27, 1980. Among them were diplomats, officials, and members of civil society. The Commission facilitated negotiations which resulted in the freeing of the hostages.
The IACHR maintained a presence in the country to observe the trials of the members of the M-19 and FARC. The IACHR accompanied the hostages to the airport, along with crowds celebrating the agreement. |
The Commission contributed to the signing of the agreement and the release of the hostages. |
1980
Colombia, April 21 - 28, 1980
The IACHR carried out a visit to Colombia April 21-28, 1980, at the invitation of the government. The delegation was composed of the Chair, Tom J. Farer; the Vice-Chair, Francisco Bertrand Galindo; Commissioners Carlos A. Dunshee de Abranches, Andrés Aguilar, and César Sepúlveda; the Executive Secretary, Edmundo Vargas Carreño; the Assistant Executive Secretary, David Padilla; and specialists Edgardo Paz Barnica and Manuel Velasco Clark.
The delegation met with President Julio César Turbay Ayala and other authorities; former presidents; human rights agencies; professional entities, union and trade and union organizations; representatives of private companies; and any civil society members who wished to lodge a complaint with the Commission. The IACHR traveled to the interior of the country, visiting Cali, the capital of the department of Valle del Cauca; Medellín, capital of the department of Antioquia; and Bucaramanga, capital of Santander. It held meetings with department and local officials and visited detention centers and military facilities.
On June 30, 1981, the IACHR approved the Report on the Situation of Human Rights in the Republic of Colombia .
1983
Publication of the report on the Human Rights Situation in Guatemala
On October 3, 1983, the Commission published the report on human rights in Guatemala, based on the on-site visit to the country between September 21 and 26, 1982.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
| The human rights situation in Guatemala was verified in the context of the coup d'état that had occurred in 1982. |
The report highlighted allegations of serious human rights violations and widespread violations of freedoms of expression, conscience and religion, movement, and political rights.
It also highlighted the lack of investigation and punishment of those responsible for illegal executions and disappearances committed before the coup d'état, the imposition of the death penalty by special and secret courts, the killing of combatants and non-combatants, and acts of torture, among other things. |
1982
Guatemala, September 21 - 26, 1982
The IACHR carried out a visit to Guatemala September 21-26, 1982. The delegation was made up of the Chair, Marco Gerardo Monroy Cabra; the Vice-Chair, César Sepúlveda; Commissioners Carlos A. Dunshee de Abranches, Tom J. Farer, and Francisco Bertrand Galindo; the Executive Secretary, Edmundo Vargas Carreño; the Assistant Executive Secretary, David Padilla; and human rights specialists Manuel Velasco Clark and Santiago Chaves Escoto.
The Commission met with the President of Guatemala, Efraín Ríos Montt, and with other officials from the executive and judicial branches. It also met with representatives of political organizations, professional entities, and university institutions, and representatives of religious entities, press groups, indigenous organizations, private companies, and women’s organizations, among others. In the interior of the country, the Commission visited the following places: the cities of Santa Cruz del Quiché and Chichicastenango and the villages of Parraxtut, Pichiquil, and El Pajarito, in the department of El Quiché; in the department of Huehuetenango, the city of that same name, as well as the localities of Nentón and the village of Colotenango; in the department of Alta Verapaz, Cobán, Pacayas, and Somuc; and in the department of Chimaltenango, Estancia de la Virgen, in the municipality of San Martín Jilotepeque, and Agua Caliente, in the municipality of San José de Poaquil.
On October 3, 1983, the IACHR approved the Report on the Situation of Human Rights in the Republic of Guatemala .
1985
March 5, 1985
The IACHR issues a Friendly Settlement Agreement in Case No. 7956, concerning Luis Alonzo Monge of Honduras.
This decision marks the beginning of the use of the friendly settlement mechanism.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
| In 1985, the possibility of a friendly settlement for comprehensive reparation for victims of human rights violations was opened. The friendly settlement involves dialogue between petitioners and States, with the mediation of the Inter-American Commission. | As of 2023, 221 cases have been resolved through the Friendly Settlement Mechanism, which demonstrates an openness of both the State and the petitioners towards compliance with comprehensive reparation. |
Honduras
- Report No. 5/85, Case 7.956, Luis Alonzo Monge
Technical Information Sheet of Total Compliance
1986
First cases sent to the I/A Court H.R.
April 24, 1986
The Commission submits the first three cases to the Inter-American Court on Human Rights.
Velásquez Rodríguez vs. Honduras, a case on forced disappearance
The Commission submitted this case so that the Court could decide whether there was a violation by the State of Articles 4 (Right to Life), 5 (Right to Personal Integrity) and 7 (Right to Personal Liberty) of the Convention, to the detriment of Ángel Manfredo Velásquez Rodríguez.
The Commission requested that the Court order "that the consequences of the situation that has led to the violation of these rights be remedied and that the injured party or parties be granted fair compensation".
Importance and Impact1987
February 28, 1987
The Inter-American Convention to Prevent and Punish Torture came into effect after reaching the minimum of two ratifications, which came from Mexico and Suriname.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
| Since this convention came into effect the IACHR has continually received complaints and petitions regarding cases of violations of the rights contained in this instrument. | The Commission and the Court have generated jurisprudence concerning the absolute ban of all the forms of torture in the region, a prohibition that currently constitutes an imperative norm of international law. |
| Related links: | |
1991
The case concerns Argentina's international responsibility for acts of torture committed against Juan Francisco Bueno Alves by police officers, as well as the failure to investigate and punish those responsible for the acts.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
| The granting of provisional measures allows for prompt and timely attention to cases related to serious and risk conditions. | These are measures ordered by the IAHR Court in cases of extreme gravity and urgency, and when it is necessary to avoid irreparable damage to people. In many cases, these provisional measures can save a person or a group whose human rights are being threatened. |
1992
The following reports address amnesty laws in these countries
- The Hojas Massacre (Merits Report No. 26/92) regarding El Salvador
- Cases 10.147, 10.181, 10.240, 10.262, 10.309 and 10.311 (Merits Report No. 28/92) regarding Argentina
- Cases 10.029, 10.036, 10.145, 10.305, 10.372, 10.373, 10.374 and 10.375 (Merits Report No. 29/92) regarding Uruguay
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
|
The foundations for the fight against impunity were laid, and Argentina, El Salvador, and Uruguay were able to prosecute those primarily responsible for human rights violations that occurred during dictatorships.
The reports contributed to inter-American and international jurisprudence on memory, justice, and historical truth. |
In Argentina, the IACHR report laid the groundwork for the country's Supreme Court to declare the amnesty law unconstitutional in 2005, allowing those responsible for crimes against humanity committed during the dictatorship to be prosecuted and tried. |
Argentina
- Report No. 28/92, Case 10.147 10.181 10.240 10.262 10.309 10.311, Rosa Ana Frigerio and Omar Tristán Roldán, Elena Delia Garaguso, Carlos Alberto Oliva, Laura Susana Martinelli, Liliana Carmen Pereyra, Eduardo Alberto Cagnola, Jorge Candeloro, Marta Haydee Garcia, Omar Alejandro Marocchi, Susana Valor, Eduardo Manuel Martínez, Jorge Carlos Augusto Toledo, Mario Alberto D'Fabio Fernández, Roberto Wilson, Rubén Darío Rodríguez, Juan Carlos Carrizo, Haydee Cristina Monier, Horacio Manuel Carrizo, Alberto Rogelio Carrizo, Luis Alberto Bereciarte, Fernando Hallgarten
El Salvador
- Report No. 26/92, Case 10.287, Las Hojas Massacre
Uruguay
- Report No. 29/92, Case 10.029 10.036 10.145 10.305 10.372 10.373 10.374 10.375, Antonio Omar Paitta
1995
January 24, 1995
The IACHR issued the first precautionary measure in favor of Virginia Galeana García of Mexico, an eyewitness in case No. 11.520 concerning Aguas Blancas, who was under a serious and imminent threat of death.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
| The importance of precautionary measures lies in addressing cases involving situations of urgency and emerging risk, where waiting for the timeframes established in the Inter-American System's petition and case processes is not feasible.Impact |
The granting of precautionary measures allows for the protection of rights at imminent risk while the conventional mechanisms of the system, such as the petition and case system, are being processed. This has enabled the safeguarding of the integrity, freedom, and other rights of thousands of people in the region.
In this way, precautionary measures preserve the exercise of human rights and prevent irreparable harm to individuals facing severe, urgent, and high-risk situations. |
| Related links: | |
1995
Belém do Pará Convention comes into effect
The Belém do Pará Convention entered into force on March 5, 1995, after reaching the minimum of 2 ratifications, in accordance with Article 21.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
| The Belém do Pará Convention requires States to develop actions for prevention, protection, investigation, and reparation, in addition to criminalizing violence against women. | The Convention allows the Commission to hear complaints and petitions concerning violations of the human rights it mentions. |
| Related links: | |
1998
March 6, 1998
Admissibility Report No. 28/98 is published for case 11.625 of María Eugenia Morales de Sierra, deciding to continue with the substantive analysis of the case.
January 19, 2001
The IACHR published Merits Report No. 04/01, stating that the gender-based distinctions regarding marriage in the Civil Code were not justified and denied Ms. Morales de Sierra's right to equality before the law.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
| This case involved the recognition of equal rights in marriage, having effects not only at the individual level but for all women in Guatemala. | Guatemala reformed its Civil Code to recognize the importance of equal rights in marriage, based on the recommendations contained in the subsequent Background Report No. 04/01. |
| Related links: | |
1999
Report Human Rights Situation in Colombia, which incorporates International Humanitarian Law
February 26, 1999
The IACHR publishes the Report on the Human Rights Situation in Colombia.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
| For the first time, the Commission applied international humanitarian law to identify the legal regime that governed the internal armed conflict, and to detail the violations of State security forces, paramilitary groups, and armed dissidents. | The Commission established a path for peace and justice processes. |
1997
Colombia, December 1 - 8, 1997
The IACHR delegation that carried out an onsite visit to Colombia in December 1997 was composed of the Chair, John Donaldson; the First Vice-Chair, Carlos Ayala Corao; the Second Vice-Chair, Robert K. Goldman; and Commissioners Claudio Grossman, Oscar L. Fappiano, and Jean Joseph Exumé. Pursuant to the Rules of Procedure, Commissioner Álvaro Tirado Mejía did not participate in the visit due to his Colombian nationality. Commissioner-elect Hélio Bicudo accompanied the Commission as a special adviser. Also participating in the visit were the Executive Secretary, Jorge E. Taiana; the Assistant Executive Secretary, David J. Padilla; and the attorneys and human rights specialists Osvaldo Kreimer, Denise Gilman, and Mario López-Garelli. The Commission had administrative support from Gabriela Hageman, Gloria Hansen, and Martha Keller.
During the course of its visit, the Commission met with the President of Colombia, Ernesto Samper Pizano, and with other high-level political, administrative, legislative, and judicial authorities, as well as with numerous nongovernmental human rights organizations and with leaders of the clergy, political leaders, businesspeople, representatives of the news media, trade union members, and other representatives of civil society. The Commission also met with representatives of international organizations. Delegations of the IACHR visited other regions of Colombia, including Puerto Asis, in the department of Putumayo; Medellín and Uraba, in the department of Antioquia; Villavicencio, in the department of Meta; and the territory of the U’wa indigenous community.
Following the visit, the IACHR published the Third Report on the Human Rights Situation in Colombia , which was approved on February 26, 1999.
1999
Admissibility Report No. 71/99 of Marta Lucía Álvarez Giraldo on the Rights of Lesbian Women Deprived of Liberty
May 4, 1999
The Commission publishes Admissibility Report No. 71/99, on case 11.656, concerning Marta Lucía Álvarez Giraldo.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
| Based on the recommendations contained in the subsequent Background Report No. 122/18 of this case, protocols and directives were drawn up for State and penitentiary officials to guarantee the right of lesbian women deprived of liberty to access intimate visits. | Through the Commission's recommendations, the State of Colombia was able to implement a series of measures to respect and guarantee the rights of LGBTI people deprived of liberty. |
| Related links: | |
1999
November, 16, 1999
The San Salvador Protocol enters into force when the minimum of 11 States ratified the protocol.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
|
The instrument allows the IACHR to promote the defense of economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights.
One of the key issues addressed by the San Salvador Protocol is the understanding that the right to health encompasses the enjoyment of the highest level of physical, mental, and social well-being. |
Following the signing of the San Salvador Protocol, the Commission may receive petitions on cases of violations of economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights.
The Commission and the Court understand that there is an interdependence between civil and political rights and economic, social, and cultural rights. |
| Related links: | |
2000
Country Report on Peru Based on Visits During a Period of Human Rights Violations under the Fujimori Government
June 4, 2000
The Commission published the country report on visits made to Peru in previous years.
- From May 17 to 21, 1993, the Commission visited Peru to observe the human rights situation in the country.
- From November 9 to 13, 1998, the 5th on-site visit to Peru took place in a context of evident deterioration of the rule of law and democratic order within Alberto Fujimori's attempt at re-election for the third time.
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
|
The visits took place in the context of the "self-coup" carried out by then-President Alberto Fujimori, and during a time of increasing violence and massive human rights violations.
Following irregularities detected by the Commission in the elections held in Peru, the Commission urged the Assembly to call for free and sovereign elections that comply with the relevant international standards. This action contributed to the promotion of democracy among Member States and demonstrated that coups d'état were no longer acceptable to the OAS. |
The report publicized the severity of human rights violations in Peru and contributed to the fall of Fujimori on November 21, 2000. Cases included La Cantuta and Barrios Altos, among others. |
1998
Peru, November 9 - 13, 1998
The IACHR delegation that visited Peru November 9-13, 1998, was made up of the Chair of the Commission, Carlos Ayala Corao; the First Vice-Chair, Robert K. Goldman; the Second Vice-Chair, Jean Joseph Exumé; Commissioner and Rapporteur for Peru Hélio Bicudo; and Commissioners Claudio Grossman and Álvaro Tirado Mejía. Other members of the delegation included the Executive Secretary, Jorge E. Taiana; the Assistant Executive Secretary, David Padilla; the Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, Santiago Canton; and attorneys Christina M. Cerna and Ignacio Álvarez. The Commission also received administrative support from Nora Anderson, Olga de Franco, and Ana Cecilia Adriazola.
During the visit, the IACHR met with the President of the Republic, Alberto Fujimori Fujimori, and with other officials from his government. During the course of its visit, the IACHR carried out a work program in Lima, Ayacucho, Puno, Tacna, and Arequipa, where it traveled to meet with state authorities as well as with representatives of civil society. The IACHR met with authorities and inmates at several prisons: Ayacucho, Yanamayo and Challapalca, Castro Castro, Socabaya, and the Cuartel General "Simon Bolivar." The Commission likewise had the opportunity to meet in Lima with many nongovernmental human rights organizations, and it received invaluable support from the National Human Rights Coordinator in organizing several meetings with sectors of Peruvian civil society. The IACHR also received complaints from those who alleged, either directly or through their representatives, that they had been victims of human rights violations.
On June 2, 2000, the IACHR approved the Second Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Peru . In the report’s final considerations, the Commission found that the weakening of the fundamental principles of a democratic state under the rule of law in the Republic of Peru was incompatible with the State’s obligations under the American Convention on Human Rights. The Commission indicated that the May 2000 election of Alberto Fujimori had not been held in keeping with due guarantees of free and fair elections required for the people of Peru to exercise their sovereign will, in violation of Article 23 of the American Convention. The Inter-American Commission indicated that the aforementioned electoral process clearly constituted an irregular interruption of the democratic process as contemplated in Resolution 1080, adopted in 1991 by the OAS General Assembly. The IACHR called for a return to the rule of law in Peru and the convocation, within a reasonable time, of free, sovereign, fair, and genuine elections that meet the respective international standards. In its 2001 Annual Report, the IACHR published a Follow-up Report on the State of Peru’s compliance with the recommendations in that report.
1993
Peru, May 17 - 21, 1993
The IACHR carried out a visit to Peru May 17-21, 1993. The delegation was composed of the Chair of the Commission, Oscar Luján Fappiano; the First Vice-Chair, Michael Reisman; Commissioner Leo Valladares Lanza; the Executive Secretary, Edith Márquez Rodríguez; the Assistant Executive Secretary, David J. Padilla; special advisor Domingo Acevedo; and human rights specialist Sergio Apter.
The Commission met with President Alberto Fujimori, several members of his ministerial Cabinet, the Attorney General, the Director of the National Police, the Chairman of the Supreme Council of Military Justice, and the Joint Command of the Armed Forces, among other authorities. The delegation also held meetings with members of the Human Rights Commission of the Democratic Constitutional Congress; with the Chairman and General Secretary of the Episcopal Conference; and with the Head of Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross, among other organizations. Meetings were held with representatives of the National Human Rights Coordinator, the Andean Commission of Jurists, the Peruvian Council on International Law, the Democratic Forum, and the Council for Peace. Others who spoke with the Commission included individuals and institutions representative of Peruvian civil society, such as the College and National Federation of Journalists, the Peruvian Medical Federation, bar associations, and media executives. A delegation of the Commission visited five detention centers in Lima and two penitentiaries in Puno to examine conditions there and receive information. The Commission also received visits from relatives of detainees or detained-disappeared persons, as well as from representatives of individuals who have lodged petitions.
At the end of the visit, the IACHR issued Press Release 12/93 .
2001
Publication of Merits Report No. 54/01 on Maria da Penha
April 16, 2001
The Commission publishes Merits Report No. 54/01 on Case 12.051, concerning Maria da Penha.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
|
In this report, the Commission applied the Belém do Pará Convention to the analysis of a petition for the first time.
The Commission found that this case was part of systematic State tolerance and judicial inefficiency in cases of domestic violence. |
Brazil adopted legislation related to the administration of justice, including the Maria da Penha Law, and measures to train security forces on domestic violence issues. |
| Merits Report No. 54/01, Case 12.051, Maria da Penha Maia Fernandes | |
2001
Adoption of the Inter-American Democratic Charter
September 11, 2001
The OAS General Assembly adopts the Inter-American Democratic Charter.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
|
The Charter defines the essential elements of democracy and its relation to integral development and the fight against poverty; it also establishes how democracy should be defended when it is under threat.
The Charter contributed to the promotion of democracy among member States, as well as to showing that coups d'état were no longer acceptable to the OAS. |
The Charter provided guidance to States regarding the importance of promoting and respecting democracy, with the aim of stopping coups d'état. |
| Related links: | |
2002
Precautionary Measures Granted to Guantanamo Bay Detainees
March 12, 2002
The Commission granted precautionary measures in favor of persons detained in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
| It highlighted at an international level the main human rights violations at the Guantanamo detention center, such as indefinite detention, the practice of torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatments, limited or no access to judicial protection, lack of due process, discriminatory regime, and inadequate defense. | It helped protect the physical integrity and due process rights of the detainees. |
| Related links: | |
2002
October 22, 2002
The Commission publishes the Report on Terrorism and Human Rights, within the context of widespread terrorist violence in the Americas at that time.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
| Following the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, the Commission addressed this relevant topic. | The report sets out minimum standards for combating terrorism in compliance with the OAS mandate. |
| Related links: | |
2004
First Public IACHR Hearing Held in the Language of an Indigenous People
March 2, 2004
During the 119th Session of the IACHR, the hearing on the case of the Sawhoyamaxa indigenous community of Paraguay was held in the Enxet language, with interpretation in Spanish. This was the first time a public hearing was conducted in an indigenous language.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
| For the first time, an indigenous people whose members were victims of human rights violations presented their arguments in their native language. | Access to the IACHR is facilitated for indigenous communities, and public recognition is given to the right to identity and culture. |
2009
December 10, 2009
The IACHR publishes its new rules of procedure, in commemoration of its 50 years of existence.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
| Various aspects of the Commission's operation were reformed. For example, procedures for precautionary measures, the processing of petitions and cases, and the referral of cases to the Court. This made proceedings before the IACHR more accessible. | The new regulations incorporated the possibility of receiving testimonial evidence during on-site visits. The process of referring cases to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights was also reworked, with the Commission now forwarding the merits reports to the Court and allowing for a more direct relationship between the Court and the Commission. |
| Related links: | |
2011
Merits Report on Domestic Violence Cases in the United States
July 21, 2011
The IACHR publishes Merits Report No. 80/11, Case 12.626, Jessica Lenahan and her three minor daughters vs. the United States.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
| This is the first case of domestic violence in the United States to be brought before an international human rights body. | The U.S. Department of Justice issued a report named Identifying and Preventing Gender Bias in Law Enforcement Response to Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. The report has been used by civil society organizations to advocate for more action against domestic violence. |
United States
- Report No. 80/11, Case 12.626, Jessica Lenahan
2014
First Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts (GIEI) to cooperate in the search for the 43 disappeared students in Mexico – Ayotzinapa Case
October 3
The IACHR grants precautionary measures (MC 409-14) in favor of the students of the "Raúl Isidro Burgos" school.
November 18th
As a result of the implementation of the precautionary measures, the State of Mexico decided, together with the IACHR, to establish the GIEI to search for the 43 missing students, investigate and punish those responsible, and assist the victims' families.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
| The Commission followed up on the Ayotzinapa case and provided international technical assistance to the State. Through the GIEI and the MESA, the Commission monitored compliance with the precautionary measure to meet the objectives of advancing the investigation, searching for the disappeared, comprehensive care for victims and their families, and structural measures to prevent repetition. The MESA has visited Mexico on several occasions to continue this mission. |
In this case, the Commission began with the development and implementation of the GIEIs, which later became a tool replicated in the region in places such as Nicaragua and Bolivia, as well as monitoring mechanisms such as those in Chile, Bolivia, and Colombia.
In Ayotzinapa, the Commission's work made it possible to make the case visible and to demand that the Mexican State adopt measures to advance the investigation of the case. |
| Related links: | |
2014
Agreement for Technical Assistance with Mexico
On November 18, 2014, the IACHR formalized an agreement for technical assistance with the Mexican State and the representatives of the missing students of Ayotzinapa. Through this agreement, the Commission will be able to appoint an Interdisciplinary Group of technical cooperation for the search of the 43 missing students from the Rural Normal School "Raúl Isidro Burgos" Ayotzinapa, Iguala as well as the investigations and actions to be adopted in order to punish the perpetrators and the assistance to the families. The primary purpose of this agreement is to solve the structural problems underlying the forced disappearances in Mexico, which have not been limited to the students of Iguala. The ceremony of the formalization of the agreement was held on November 18 in the Federal District and counted with the presence of the IACHR Rapporteur for Mexico, Commissioner James Cavallaro; the Executive Secretary of the IACHR, Emilio Alvarez Icaza; the Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Juan Manuel Gomez Robledo, and the beneficiaries of the precautionary measure granted by the IACHR to the students of Ayotzinapa, who were represented by Mario Pattern of Human Rights Centre Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez (Centre PRODH). The parents of the missing students were also present as well as representatives of the students of Ayotzinapa and representatives of the Attorney General's Office and the Interior Ministry.
- Read the Agreement (Only available in Spanish)
- PM 409/14 - Students of the rural school “Raúl Isidro Burgos”, México (Only available in Spanish)
- Remarks by Commissioner James Cavallaro (Only available in Spanish)
- Press Release 133/14 - IACHR Agrees on Terms of Agreement on Technical Assistance to Mexico
- Press Release 136/14 - IACHR Makes Official Technical Cooperation Agreement about Ayotzinapa Students in Mexico
- Press Release 008/15 - Interdisciplinary Group of Experts to Launch at IACHR Headquarters its Work on the Case of the Students of Ayotzinapa, Mexico
- GIEI web section
2017
December 31, 2017
The Commission published the report "Democratic Institutions, Rule of Law and Human Rights in Venezuela" on the human rights situation in the country.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
| The Commission addressed the current situation of human rights violations and democratic weakening that has taken place in Venezuela. | The report highlights widespread repression, the violation of the rule of law, the systematic persecution of dissidents, and the deterioration of civil and political rights in Venezuela. |
2018
Monitoring Mechanism for Nicaragua
June 24, 2018
The Commission established the Special Monitoring Mechanism for Nicaragua, in compliance with the recommendations made in the report presented on June 22, on the human rights situation in the country.
Background
May 17 - 21
- The IACHR carried out an on-site visit in response to the human rights crisis that broke out in that period.
June 22, 2018
- The Commission presented the report "Serious human rights violations in the context of social protests in Nicaragua."
- Establishment of the International Group of Independent Experts.
- Departure of the IACHR from Nicaragua.
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
|
MESENI (the follow-up mechanism for Nicaragua) has made it possible to monitor and follow up on the situation in Nicaragua through regular meetings with civil society, victims of human rights violations, and their families.
The situation of democratic weakening and human rights violations in Nicaragua was addressed. The report also made it possible to address the situation in Nicaragua quickly and directly, given the severity of the situation. |
The IACHR highlighted the violence and repression exercised by the State against protestors.
It denounced serious human rights violations, such as arbitrary detentions, extrajudicial executions, mistreatment, and possible acts of torture. Since the beginning of the protests in Nicaragua, the IACHR has used its various mechanisms to monitor the human rights situation in the country, including the establishment of a Rapid and Integrated Response Coordination Unit, visits to the country, the issuance and presentation to the Permanent Council of the OAS of the report "Serious violations of human rights in the context of protests", and the launching of the MESENI, the Follow-up Mechanism for Nicaragua. The main objective was to follow up on the recommendations made by the IACHR derived from its visit to the country and in the report "Serious violations of human rights in the context of social protests in Nicaragua". |
| Related links: | |
2018
Nicaragua, May 17 - 21, 2018
On May 3, 2018, given the serious violence in Nicaragua, the IACHR unveiled plans to set up a Rapid and Integrated Response
Coordination Unit (SACROI, by its Spanish acronym) to focus its attention on the human rights situation in that country.
Later, on May 17-21, 2018, the IACHR carried out a working visit to Nicaragua, to conduct a preliminary on-site
observation of the human rights situation in the country, in the context of the violence that took place there from April 18, 2018, to document those events and issue the Commission's first concrete recommendations for the Nicaraguan State.
The IACHR deployed three teams and visited four cities (Leon, Managua, Matagalpa and Masaya), as well as State facilities, healthcare centers, hospitals, detention centers and the Institute of Forensic Medicine. On May 21, the IACHR published its Preliminary Observations on the visit.
The delegation was led by Commissioner Antonia Urrejola, IACHR Rapporteur for Nicaragua, who was supported by Commissioner Joel Hernandez, Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons Deprived of Liberty; and Commissioner Francisco Eguiguren, Rapporteur on the Rights of Human Rights Defenders. The delegation was also assisted by Paulo Abrão, Executive Secretary; Maria Claudia Pulido, Assistant Executive Secretary for Monitoring, Promotion and Technical Cooperation on Human Rights; the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, Edison Lanza, and the Special Rapporteur for Economic, Social, Cultural and Environmental Rights, Soledad Garcia Muñoz, and by the specialists of the Executive Secretary.
2018
The Commission established the Recommendations and Impact Monitoring Section to verify compliance with the recommendations and measure the impact of the decisions.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
| The Monitoring Section generates strategies to verify and promote compliance with recommendations through ongoing dialogue with States, civil society, and victims. |
With the creation of the Section for Follow-up on Recommendations and Impact (SSRI), the IACHR strengthened its work on the follow-up of its recommendations, as well as its dialogue with States, civil society, and victims to promote compliance with its decisions.
This encouraged the creation of special mechanisms for follow-up of recommendations in countries such as Chile, Bolivia, and Colombia. |
| Related links: | |
2020
On-site visit to Venezuela and Presentation of the Commission's Preliminary Observations and Recommendations
February 5 - 8
The IACHR conducted a visit to Venezuela from the border with Colombia because the Venezuelan authorities did not allow the Commission to enter.
May 8th
Presentation of preliminary observations and recommendations of the visit.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
| Although the IACHR was unable to enter Venezuelan territory, it deployed its mechanisms to monitor the human rights situation of people forced to leave Venezuela as a result of the social, political, and human rights crisis in Venezuela. | In its report, the Commission stated that Venezuela lacked the rule of law and denounced serious human rights violations committed by the State. Among others, it systematically violated the rights to life, personal integrity, personal liberty, assembly, and freedom of expression, mainly in the context of opposition demonstrations. |
| Related links: | |
2020
March 27, 2020
The IACHR announced the establishment of SACROI (Rapid and Integrated Response Coordination Unit) to strengthen its institutional capacities for the protection and defense of fundamental freedoms and human rights in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
April 10, 2020
Approval of Resolution No. 1/2020 "Pandemic and Human Rights in the Americas"
July 27, 2020
Approval of Resolution No. 04/2020 "Human Rights of Persons with COVID-19"
April 6, 2021
Approval of Resolution 1/2021 "COVID-19 Vaccines in the Framework of Inter-American Human Rights Obligations"
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
|
Through the COVID-19 SACROI, the IACHR closely monitored the human rights situation in the context of the pandemic, reinforcing comprehensiveness and intersectionality in light of the protection of human rights.
SACROI published four practical guides and approved three resolutions with recommendations to States regarding the implementation of a human rights perspective in the adoption of measures to address, contain, and respond to the needs generated by the pandemic. The IACHR's actions and recommendations had a positive impact when considered as a guide and basis for State decision-making to address the COVID-19 pandemic, with full respect for human rights and democratic institutions at its core. |
Between April 10, 2020, and April 10, 2021, nine countries adopted decisions based on the IACHR recommendations of Resolution 1/2020.
Of the 22 decisions identified, adopted by the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of different States, 7 decisions were issued by Argentina; 1 by Bolivia; 2 by Brazil; 3 by Colombia; 1 by Costa Rica; 5 by El Salvador; 1 by Honduras; 2 by Peru, and 2 by Mexico. The recommendations had a particularly strong impact in providing protection to groups in particularly vulnerable situations, such as older adults, persons deprived of liberty, women, indigenous peoples, children and adolescents, and health workers, representing more than 70% of the decisions and measures identified. The IACHR, and SACROI specifically, contributed to the adoption of measures with a broad vision of human rights protection, incorporating principles of universality, interdependence and interrelation, and non-discrimination. This was done with gender, diversity, and intersectionality perspectives. Furthermore, the IACHR had a significant impact by providing authorities with tools to judge the legitimacy of measures that limited fundamental rights in accordance with criteria of proportionality, necessity, legality, and temporality, as well as to guarantee accountability and respect for the democratic system. |
| Related links: | |
2022
Joint Monitoring Mechanism for Chile in the Context of Civil Unrest
January 25 and 31, 2020
The IACHR visits Chile to address the social crisis that began in 2019.
January 25, 2022
Presentation of the Country Report in the context of the civil unrest of 2019.
December 12, 2022
Establishment of the joint monitoring mechanism for Chile.
March 18 - 21, 2024
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and its Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression (RELE) visited Chile to follow up on the recommendations of the Report on Human Rights in Chile.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
|
The Commission deploys all available mechanisms and tools in each of the crises that have developed in different countries of the region over the last decade.
The Commission contributes recommendations and roadmap proposals that help States provide respectful responses that guarantee human rights and democratic regimes. |
At the end of the visit, the IACHR provided the State with preliminary observations containing recommendations for advancing the investigation of possible human rights violations and reparation for victims.
Two years later, in January 2021, the Commission presented its country report, which highlighted the main recommendations based on all the information gathered during the 2019 visit. In December 2022, the State of Chile and the IACHR established the first joint monitoring mechanism with the State's commitment to compliance with the IACHR's recommendations. |
| Related links: | |
2022
Monitoring Mechanism for Bolivia Amidst Civil Unrest
2022
Installation of the monitoring mechanism for Bolivia
November 22 - 25, 2019
The IACHR conducts an observational visit to Bolivia that concludes with reports of "serious violations of human rights of a wide spectrum and lamentable consequences"
2020
Establishment of the International Group of Independent Experts.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
| The IACHR makes comprehensive contributions to address the crisis in Bolivia, through the mechanisms it has at its disposal in a constant and permanent dialogue with all social actors. |
The mechanisms implemented by the IACHR to address conflict caused by the serious political and social crisis in Bolivia have contributed to the reduction of violence.
IACHR mechanisms have contributed to the clarification of alleged serious violations of human rights, through an exhaustive investigation and collection of information and testimonies. In addition, one of the major impacts is that a series of elements have been identified that need to be worked on by the State to ensure that the facts are adjudicated, that they will not be repeated, and that the necessary changes are brought about in the political and judicial structures to guarantee the promotion and defense of human rights. |
| Related links: | |
2023
Joint Follow-Up Mechanism to the recommendations made after the June 2021 Visit to Colombia in the framework of the National Strike
June 9, 2023
IACHR Installs Joint Follow-Up Mechanism on the Recommendations of the June 2021 Visit to Colombia.
January 27, 2023
The IACHR presents the first follow-up report on 28 of the recommendations issued during the June 2021 visit.
June 8 - 10, 2021
The IACHR conducted a working visit to Colombia in the context of the social protests that began on April 28 of the same year. Subsequently, it issued its observations, findings, and recommendations regarding the human rights situation in that context.
Importance and Impact
| Importance | Impact |
|---|---|
|
This Mechanism monitors the implementation of the recommendations of June 2021 aimed at the State investigating and redressing the human rights violations recorded in the 2021 National Strike.
In addition, it monitors the implementation of mechanisms of non-repetition in the context of social protests. |
The establishment of this Mechanism has facilitated a follow-up process that, in addition to considering the State's perspective, openly listens to civil society organizations and victims. This allows for the transmission of relevant information to the State regarding the challenges of complying with the recommendations, urging it to address these challenges in an appropriate and participatory manner. |
| Related links: | |