The facts of the case refer to the assassination, in August 1994, of Jorge Omar Gutiérrez, a member of the Federal Police who was investigating a case of corruption known as the “caso de la aduana paralela" [“case of the parallel customs”], in which businessmen and high ranking state officials were implicated. The facts also concern the impunity in which the case remains 17 years on as consequence of severe irregularities in the investigation.

The IA Court developed standards regarding state responsibility for the violation of the right to life, as well as the lack of effective investigation and legal proceedings into the extrajudicial execution of Mr. Gutiérrez.