Media Center

Background

IACHR CONCLUDES ITS 131ST PERIOD OF SESSIONS

Washington, March 14, 2008 — As it concludes its 131st period of sessions today, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) hails the peaceful resolution of tensions that had arisen in the Andean region in the last two weeks, recalling that peace is essential and necessary for the enjoyment of human rights.

The IACHR would like to express its concern about the possible application of the death penalty in Guatemala, following the approval of the new Pardons Law. The IACHR recalls that the Commission and the Inter-American Court have already gone on record to say that the State of Guatemala should adopt adequate remedies to impede the implementation of the death penalty in the situations prohibited by the American Convention. The Commission also expresses its concern, in view of information received during the hearings held during these sessions, about grave situations involving human rights violations in the region. The continued decline of citizen insecurity; the discrimination suffered by Afro-descendents and indigenous peoples, as well as by poor people and women; the deterioration of economic, social, and cultural rights; grave obstacles to access to justice; difficulties in exercising freedom of expression; the persistent use of military justice for crimes that should be handled by civilian courts; and the impact the region’s growing environmental deterioration has on human rights are just a few of the many problems on which the Commission received troubling information. The IACHR will follow these issues closely in the coming days and months.

The Inter-American Commission would also like to express its satisfaction over the spirit of cooperation demonstrated by the States, petitioners, and civil society organizations in the course of the hearings and working meetings held during these sessions. This positive disposition made it possible to hold 36 important hearings with full participation, during which several States invited the IACHR to conduct visits, including Argentina, Bolivia, and Panama. In addition, the Commission held 33 working meetings on pending petitions and cases, and many of these produced significant advances. For example, a Memorandum of Commitment was signed concerning the situation of captive communities in Bolivia, and progress was made toward reaching a friendly settlement in cases in Bolivia, Chile, and Mexico. The Commission expresses its satisfaction over the signing of these agreements and notes that it will follow up on their compliance, in accordance with the provisions established in the American Convention of Human Rights.

Finally, the IACHR announces its schedule of sessions for the coming months. The 132nd regular period of sessions will take place July 17-25, 2008, at IACHR headquarters in Washington, D.C., and will focus solely on internal Commission issues; that is, no hearings or working meetings will be held. The 133rd regular period of sessions will take place October 16-31, 2008, and the deadline for requesting hearings and working meetings is August 27, 2008. The 134th regular period of sessions will take place March 16-27, 2009, and the deadline for requesting hearings and working meetings is January 25, 2009.

This press release is accompanied by an Annex, which is available on the IACHR Web page: www.cidh.org.


Press contact: María Isabel Rivero, Tel. (202) 458-3867, E-mail: [email protected]

Reference: IACHR- 10