INTER-AMERICAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS
CASE OF GONZÁLEZ MEDINA AND FAMILY
v. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
JUDGMENT OF FEBRUARY 27, 2012
(Preliminary objections, merits, reparations and costs)
In the case of González Medina and family,
the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (hereinafter “the Inter-American Court” or “the
Court”), composed of the following judges: 1
Diego García-Sayán, President
Manuel E. Ventura Robles, Vice President
Leonardo A. Franco, Judge
Margarette May Macaulay, Judge
Alberto Pérez Pérez, Judge, and
Eduardo Vio Grossi, Judge;
also present,
Pablo Saavedra Alessandri, Secretary, and
Emilia Segares Rodríguez, Deputy Secretary,
pursuant to Articles 62(3) and 63(1) of the American Convention on Human Rights
(hereinafter “the American Convention” or “the Convention”) and Articles 31, 32, 65 and 67
of the Rules of Procedure of the Court 2 (hereinafter “the Rules of Procedure”), delivers this
judgment structured as follows:
1
In accordance with Article 19(1) of the Rules of Procedure of the Inter-American Court applicable to this
case (infra note 2), which establish that “[i]n the cases referred to in Article 44 of the Convention, a judge who is a
national of the respondent State shall not be able to participate in the hearing and deliberation of the case,” Judge
Rhadys Abreu Blondet, a Dominican national, did not take part in the processing of this case or in the deliberation
and signature of this judgment.
2
The Court’s Rules of Procedure approved by the Court at its eight-fifth regular session held from November
16 to 29, 2009, which apply to the instant case in accordance with Article 79 thereof. According to Article 79(2) of
the said Rules of Procedure, “[i]n cases in which the Commission has adopted a report under Article 50 of the
Convention before the these Rules of Procedure have come into force, the presentation of the case before the Court
will be governed by Articles 33 and 34 of the Rules of Procedure previously in force. These Rules of Procedure shall
apply. The provisions of these Rules of Procedure shall apply to the reception of statements.” Therefore, Articles 33
and 34 of the Rules of Procedure approved by the Court at its forty-ninth regular session apply with regard to the
presentation of the case.