IACHR
Press Release
IACHR Grants Precautionary Measures in Favor of Mary Elizabeth Carrasco Condarco and Juan Alipaz Aparicio in Bolivia
January 10, 2020
Washington, D.C. - The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) issued Resolution 1/2020 on January 8, 2020, to grant precautionary measures in favor of Mary Elizabeth Carrasco Condarco and Juan Alipaz Aparicio in Bolivia, as well as in favor of Ms. Carrasco Condarco’s family, in the belief that they face a serious, urgent risk of suffering irreparable damage to their rights.
When making this decision, the Commission considered that these individuals’ situation is linked to the events that happened in 2008 during the “Porvenir Massacre.” The IACHR deems that those events have recently regained relevance, both in connection with Bolivia’s current context and with the situation of the people convicted of those events. The IACHR noted that the risks stem from the beneficiaries’ roles as representatives of the victims, in a criminal investigation that allegedly remains open and where the is an appeal pending before the Supreme Court of Justice. The Commission observed with great concern the threats received by SMS by Ms. Mary Carrasco, that mentioned “burning her house,” “burning her office,” and “making her daughters disappear.” The IACHR warned that the people who issued the threats to her personal phone clearly knew where her office was located. The Commission observes that the beneficiaries allegedly filed requests for protection in 2011, and that there is no information available concerning the outcome of those requests.
After assessing the legal and factual allegations made by both parties, the Commission considered that—based on the standards that are applicable prima facie—the beneficiaries face a situation of grave and urgent risk, since their rights to life and personal integrity risk suffering irreparable damage. Consequently, in keeping with Article 25 of its Rules of Procedure, the IACHR asked Bolivia to: a) take any measures necessary to protect the rights to life and personal integrity of Mary Elizabeth Carrasco Condarco and Juan Alipaz Aparicio, as well as in favor of Ms. Carrasco Condarco’s family, in keeping with the applicable standards recognized by international human rights law (which includes protecting their rights from risks posed by third parties); b) come to an agreement with the beneficiaries and their representatives regarding any measures that need to be implemented; c) report on any actions taken to investigate the alleged events that gave rise to the adoption of this precautionary measure, to prevent such events from happening again in the future.
The fact that this precautionary measure has been granted and its adoption by the State do not entail a prejudgment on a potential petition that may be filed before the Inter-American system to allege violations of rights protected by the American Convention on Human Rights and other applicable instruments.
A principal, autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), the IACHR derives its mandate from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission has a mandate to promote respect for and to defend human rights in the region and acts as a consultative body to the OAS in this area. The Commission is composed of seven independent members who are elected in an individual capacity by the OAS General Assembly and who do not represent their countries of origin or residence.
No. 004/20