Inter-American Court of Human Rights Case of Velásquez-Rodríguez v. Honduras Judgment of June 26, 1987 (Preliminary Objections) In the Velásquez Rodríguez case, The Inter-American Court of Human Rights, composed of the following judges: Thomas Buergenthal, President Rafael Nieto-Navia, Vice President Rodolfo E. Piza E., Judge Pedro Nikken, Judge Héctor Fix-Zamudio, Judge Héctor Gros Espiell, Judge Rigoberto Espinal Irías, Judge ad hoc Also present: Charles Moyer, Secretary Manuel Ventura, Deputy Secretary delivers the following judgment pursuant to Article 27(4) of its Rules of Procedure (hereinafter "the Rules of Procedure") on the preliminary objections raised by the Government of Honduras (hereinafter "the Government") in its submissions and in oral argument at the public hearing. I 1. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (hereinafter "the Commission") submitted the instant case to the Court on April 24, 1986. It originated in a petition against Honduras (No. 7920) which the Secretariat of the Commission received on October 7, 1981. 2. In filing the application with the Court, the Commission invoked Articles 50 and 51 of the American Convention on Human Rights (hereinafter "the Convention" or "the American Convention") and requested that the Court determine whether the State in question had violated Articles 4 (Right to Life), 5 (Right to Humane Treatment) and 7 (Right to Personal Liberty) of the Convention in the case of Angel Manfredo Velásquez Rodríguez. The Commission also asked the