CASE OF DÍAZ LORETO ET AL. V. VENEZUELA
Table of contents
I. INTRODUCTION OF THE CASE AND SUBJECT OF THE DISPUTE ...................................... 4
II. PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE COURT .............................................................................. 5
III. JURISDICTION ........................................................................................................... 6
IV. PRELIMINARY OBJECTIONS ........................................................................................ 6
A.
Arguments of the State and observations of the Commission .................... 6
B.
Considerations of the Court........................................................................ 7
V. EVIDENCE ..................................................................................................................... 8
VI. FACTS ........................................................................................................................ 10
A.
Context ..................................................................................................... 10
B. The deaths of Octavio Ignacio Díaz Álvarez and the brothers, David Octavio and
Robert Ignacio Díaz Loreto, on January 6, 2003 .................................................... 12
B.1. Facts that are not disputed ........................................................................ 12
B.2. Disputed facts .......................................................................................... 13
C. Investigations and judicial proceedings conducted into the death of the Díaz Loreto
brothers and their father, Octavio Ignacio Díaz Álvarez .......................................... 14
C.1. First judicial proceedings ........................................................................... 15
C.2. Second judicial proceedings ....................................................................... 17
D. The alleged threats and harassment by police officers of the friends and family
members of Octavio Ignacio Díaz Álvarez and the brothers, David Octavio and Robert
Ignacio Díaz ...................................................................................................... 17
VII. MERITS .................................................................................................................... 17
VII.1. RIGHTS TO LIFE, PERSONAL INTEGRITY AND PERSONAL LIBERTY (ARTICLES 1(1),
2, 4, 5 AND 7 OF THE AMERICAN CONVENTION AND 1, 6 AND 8 OF THE INTER-AMERICAN
CONVENTION TO PREVENT AND PUNISH TORTURE) ....................................................... 18
A.
Arguments of the parties and of the Commission ...................................... 18
A.1. The right to life (Article 4 of the American Convention) .................................. 18
A.2. The rights to personal integrity and personal liberty of Robert Ignacio Díaz Loreto
(Article 7(2) of the Convention) ........................................................................ 19
A.3. Article 2 of the American Convention .......................................................... 20
B. Considerations of the Court ...................................................................... 20
B.1. Right to life of Robert Ignacio Díaz Loreto, David Octavio Díaz Loreto, and Octavio
Ignacio Díaz Álvarez ....................................................................................... 20
B.2. Rights to personal liberty and personal integrity of Robert Ignacio Díaz Loreto 29
B.3. Obligation to adopt domestic legal provisions .............................................. 30
VII.2. RIGHTS TO JUDICIAL GUARANTEES AND JUDICIAL PROTECTION (ARTICLES 1(1),
8(1) AND 25 OF THE AMERICAN CONVENTION) .............................................................. 30
A.
Arguments of the parties and of the Commission ...................................... 30
B.
Considerations of the Court ...................................................................... 31
B.1. Due diligence in the investigation ................................................................ 32
B.2. The reasonable time for the investigation and criminal proceedings .................. 34
B.3. Alleged lack of investigation and adoption of measures of protection for the family
members of the alleged victims ......................................................................... 37
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