38
Ayala Abarca. In addition, the Commission concludes that the State breached its obligation to protect the
family enshrined in Article 17 of the American Convention in relation to the obligations established in
Article 1(1) of the same instrument to the detriment of José Adrián Rochac Hernández, Santos Ernesto
Salinas, Emelinda Lorena Hernández, Manuel Antonio Bonilla, and Ricardo Ayala Abarca, and their
family members identified to date, Alfonso Hernández, Sebastián Rochac Hernández, Estanislao Rochac
Hernández, Maria Juliana Rochac Hernández, María del Tránsito Rochac Hernández, Ana Margarita
Rochac Hernández, Nicolas Alfonso Rochac Hernández, María Adela Iraheta (deceased in 2005),
Amparo Salinas, Estela Salinas, Josefina Salinas, Julio Iraheta, Felipe Flores Iraheta, María Adela
Hernández, Juan de la Cruz Sánchez (deceased), Joel Alcides Hernández, Valentina Hernández,
Santiago Perez, Juan Evangelista, José Cristino Hernández, Eligorio Hernández, Rosa Ofelia
Hernández, José de la Paz Bonilla, María de los Ángeles Osorio, Petrolina Abarca Alvarado, José
Arístides Bonilla, María Inés Bonilla, María Josefa Rosales, María Esperanza Alvarado, Luis Alberto
Alvarado, Ester Ayala Abarca, Paula Alvarado, Daniel Abarca, José Humberto Abarca, Osmín Abarca y
Manuel Eugenio Salinas..
209.
As for the petitioners’ allegation with respect to the right to a name established in Article
18 of the American Convention, the Commission is of the view that even though the context described
indicates that one common fate of the disappeared children was being stripped of one’s identity through
name changes, in the instant case such circumstances have not been established. In this regard, the
Commission agrees with the approach of the Inter-American Court in the case of Contreras et al. v. El
Salvador, in which it indicated that “this assumption cannot be applied to establish the violation of the
right to a name in all the cases. In this regard, the sole confirmation of the practice of disappearances is
168
not enough, because evidence of the alleged violations is required.”
D.
The rights to judicial guarantees and judicial protection (Articles 8 and 25 of the
Convention)
210.
Article 8(1) of the American Convention establishes:
Every person has the right to a hearing, with due guarantees and within a reasonable time, by a
competent, independent, and impartial tribunal, previously established by law, in the substantiation
of any accusation of a criminal nature made against him or for the determination of his rights and
obligations of a civil, labor, fiscal, or any other nature.
211.
Article 25(1) of the American Convention provides:
Everyone has the right to simple and prompt recourse, or any other effective recourse, to a
competent court or tribunal for protection against acts that violate his fundamental rights recognized
by the constitution or laws of the state concerned or by this Convention, even though such violation
may have been committed by persons acting in the course of their official duties.
212.
Article 1(1) of the Convention establishes:
The States Parties to this Convention undertake to respect the rights and freedoms recognized
herein and to ensure to all persons subject to their jurisdiction the free and full exercise of those
rights and freedoms, without any discrimination for reasons of race, color, sex, language, religion,
political or other opinion, national or social origin, economic status, birth, or any other social
condition.
168
I/A Court H.R., Case of Contreras et al. v. El Salvador. Merits, Reparations, and Costs. Judgment of August 31, 2011
Series C No. 232, para. 118.