CORTE INTERAMERICANA DE DERECHOS HUMANOS
COUR INTERAMERICAINE DES DROITS DE L'HOMME
CORTE INTERAMERICANA DE DIREITOS HUMANOS
INTER-AMERICAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS
IACHR_CP-04/11 ENGLISH
PRESS RELEASE
(*)
San Jose, Costa Rica, May 26, 2011.- The Inter-American Court of Human Rights held its 43rd
Special Period of Sessions in Panama City, Panama, from May 15 to 21, 2011. During the
sessions, three judgments were handed down, as were 10 orders on provisional measures and
monitoring of compliance with judgment. In addition, three public hearings were held on
adversarial
cases,
which
are
available
in
video
following
the
next
link:
http://www.corteidh.or.cr/panama/multimedia.html.
1. Judgments.The Court deliberated and handed down judgments in the following three cases: Vera Vera et
al. v. Ecuador, preliminary objections, merits, reparations and costs; Fernández Ortega v.
Mexico, interpretation of Judgment on the preliminary objections, merits, reparations and
costs dated August 30, 2010; and Rosendo Cantú et al. v. Mexico, interpretation of Judgment
on the preliminary objections, merits, reparations and costs dated August 31, 2010.
2. Public hearings on adversarial cases.a.
Grande v. Argentina. On May 16, 2011, the Court heard the testimony of Jorge
Fernando Grande, alleged victim, as well as the arguments and final oral comments of
the representative, the Republic of Argentina, and the Inter-American Commission.
The alleged victim was represented by Pedro Patiño-Mayer Alurralde; the State by
Alberto Javier Salgado, Julia Loreto, Pilar Mayoral and Ramiro Badía; and the InterAmerican Commission by commissioner Luz Patricia Mejía, along with Karla Quintana
Osuna and Silvia Serrano Guzmán. Due to his nationality, Judge Leonardo A. Franco
did not participate in this matter.
b.
Contreras et al. v. El Salvador. On May 17, 2011, the Court heard the
testimony of Gregoria Herminia Contreras, alleged victim, and of María Sol Yáñez de la
Cruz and Ricardo Alberto Iglesias Herrera, expert witnesses proposed by the
representatives of the alleged victims. In addition, the Court heard the testimony and
final oral comments of the representatives of the alleged victims, the Republic of El
Salvador and the Inter-American Commission. The alleged victim was represented by
María Ester Alvarenga Chinchilla, Elsy Lourdes Flores Sosa, Gisela Leticia De León De
Sedas and Luis Carlos Buob Concha; the State by Arnoldo Bernal Chévez, David
This press release’s content is the responsibility of the Secretariat of the Inter-American Court of Human
Rights. The official text of the documents summarized can be obtained via written request to the Office of the Secretariat,
sent to the address indicated below.
(*)
Ernesto Morales Cruz, Matilde Guadalupe Hernández de Espinoza and Gloria Evelyn
Martínez Ramos; and the Inter-American Commission by Luz Patricia Mejía, Silvia
Serrano Guzmán and Karla Quintana Osuna.
c.
Torres et al. v. Argentina. On May 18, 2011, the Court heard the testimony of María
Leontina Millacura Llaipén, alleged victim, Nora Cortiñas, expert witness proposed by
the representatives of the alleged victims, and Sofía Tiscornia, expert witness put
forward ex officio by the Tribunal. In addition, the Court heard the testimony and final
oral comments of the representatives, the Argentine Republic and the Inter-American
Commission on Human Rights. The alleged victim was represented by Verónica
Heredia; the State by Alberto Javier Salgado, Julia Loreto, Pilar Mayoral y Ramiro
Badía; and the Inter-American Commission by commissioner Luz Patricia Mejía, along
with Karla Quintana Osuna and Silvia Serrano Guzmán. Due to his nationality, Judge
Leonardo A. Franco did not participate in this matter.
3. Academic activities.On May 19, 2011, at 9:00 am, the international seminar entitled “The Inter-American Court of
Human Rights and its Case Law” was held at the Atlapa Convention Center and given by
attorneys of the Inter-American Court. The first panel addressed international State
responsibility and the inter-American system; the second panel looked at the latest
developments in the Inter-American Court’s case law.
----During this period of sessions, the Court was composed as follows: Diego García-Sayán
(Peru), President; Leonardo A. Franco (Argentina), Vice President; Manuel E. Ventura Robles
(Costa Rica); Margarette May Macaulay (Jamaica); Rhadys Abreu Blondet (Dominican
Republic); Alberto Pérez Pérez (Uruguay); Eduardo Vio Grossi (Chile).
For more information, please see the Court’s web site www.corteidh.or.cr or send an e-mail to Pablo
Saavedra, Secretary of the Court, to [email protected].
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