ORDER OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS OF FEBRUARY 10, 1998 PROVISIONAL MEASURES REQUESTED BY THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS PANIAGUA MORALES ET AL. AND VASQUEZ ET AL. CASES (N. 11.448) HAVING SEEN: 1. The proceedings in the Paniagua Morales et al. Case, before the InterAmerican Court of Human Rights (hereinafter “the Court” or “the Inter-American Court”) and the transcription of the testimonies given by Oscar Humerto Vásquez and Raquel de Jesús Solórzano during the public hearing on the merits of this case, held by the Court at its seat on September 22, 23, and 24, 1997. 2. The February 5, 1997, brief of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (hereinafter “the Commission” or the “Inter-American Commission”, by which it requested the Court, in accordance with Articles 63(2) of the American Convention on Human Rights (hereinafter “the Convention” or “the American Convention”) and 25 of the Rules of Procedure of the Court (hereinafter “Rules of Procedure”), to adopt “provisional measures to protect the life and physical integrity of the members of the Vásquez family, including, Oscar Humberto Vásquez, Raquel Solórzano, Thelma Judith de Vásquez, Marvin Vásquez and Lydia de Vásquez.” The Commission indicated that said request was made in regards to two cases: the Paniagua Morales et al. Case, currently before the Court and the Vásquez et al. Case (number 11.448), currently before the Commission. As grounds for this request, the Commission informed the Court that: [o]n January 24, 1998, Mr. Oscar Humberto Vásquez, son of Mr. Oscar Vásquez (victim in the White Van Case) and witness that rendered testimony before the Honorable Court in September 1997, was illegally detained by a group of three unknown men, who severely physically attacked him and threatened him with death. The Commission also informed the Court that those that deprived Mr. Vásquez of his freedom stated “he should stop getting involved in problems because if he did not he would wind up like his father and his brother,” both of who were murdered five days before the final hearing held by the Commission in regards to the Paniagua Morales et al. Case (September 11, 1994). According to the Commission, when Mr. Vásquez tried to present a complaint for his detention and the physical abuse he received, the Public Ministry refused to receive it, “arguing that he should have done so immediately after the events occurred.” 3. The statements of the Inter-American Commission in its petition for provisional measures, according to which, on December 13, 1994, it requested the State of Guatemala (hereinafter “the State” or “Guatemala”) to adopt precautionary measures to protect the life, physical integrity and liberty of Oscar Ricardo Vásquez Monroy, María Refugio Raymundo, Marvin Alfonso Vásquez Solórzano, Raquel de