The events of the case concern the forced disappearance of Rainer Ibsen Cárdenas, as from October 1971, and of José Luis Ibsen Peña, as from February 1993, which occurred during Bolivia’s military dictatorship that was established in August 1971, as well as the lack of investigation and punishment of the perpetrators.

The IA Court placed these events in the context of a military dictatorship that lasted for more than 6 years in power and which was characterised, in particular between 1971 and 1973, by a practice of illegal arrest, violent raids and the torture and forced disappearance of people.

The IA Court once again recognised the particular characteristics and aspects pertaining to the crime of forced disappearance of people as a multiple and continued violation of rights, and re-established the non-revocable norms character of international law or

jus cogens

regarding the duty to investigate and punish the perpetrators of this crime, as well as that of torture.