Inter-American Court of Human Rights Case of Valle Jaramillo et al. v. Colombia Judgment of November 27, 2008 (Merits, Reparations, and Costs) In the case of Valle Jaramillo et al., the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (hereinafter “the Court” or “the Inter-American Court”), composed of the following judges: Cecilia Medina Quiroga, President Diego García Sayán, Vice President Sergio García Ramírez, Judge Manuel E. Ventura Robles, Judge Leonardo A. Franco, Judge Margarette May Macaulay, Judge, and Rhadys Abreu Blondet, Judge; also present,* Pablo Saavedra Alessandri, Secretary pursuant to Articles 62(3) and 63(1) of the American Convention on Human Rights (hereinafter “the Convention” or “the American Convention”) and with Articles 29, 31, 53(2), 55, 56 and 58 of the Rules of Procedure of the Court (hereinafter “the Rules of Procedure”), delivers this judgment. I INTRODUCTION OF THE CASE AND PURPOSE OF THE DISPUTE 1. On February 13, 2007, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (hereinafter “the Commission” or “the Inter-American Commission”) submitted to the Court, in accordance with the provisions of Articles 50 and 61 of the American Convention, an application against the Republic of Colombia (hereinafter “the State” or “Colombia”). This application originated from petition No. 12,415, forwarded to the Secretariat of the Commission on August 2, 2001, by the Grupo Interdisciplinario por los Derechos Humanos [Interdisciplinary Group for Human Rights] (hereinafter “GIDH”). On February 20, 2003, the Commission approved Admissibility Report No. 5/03 and, on October 16, 2006, it approved Merits Report No. 75/06 in the terms of Article 50 of the Convention,1 which contained * For reasons beyond her control, the Deputy Secretary, Emilia Segares Rodríguez, did not take part in the deliberation of this judgment. 1 In the Report on merits, the Commission concluded that the State was responsible for the violation of the rights to life, humane treatment, personal liberty, and judicial protection embodied in Articles 4(1), 5, 7, 8(1), and 25 of the American Convention, as well as the general obligation to respect and ensure rights found in Article 1(1) thereof, to the detriment of Jesús María Valle Jaramillo and his next of kin. The Commission also found that Colombia was responsible for the violation of Articles 5 and 7 of the American Convention, to the detriment of Nelly Valle Jaramillo. Regarding Carlos Fernando Jaramillo, the Commission concluded that the State was responsible for