Inter-American Court of Human Rights
Case of Ríos et al. v. Venezuela
Judgment of January 28, 2009
(Preliminary Objections, Merits, Reparations, and Costs)
In the case of Ríos et al. v. Venezuela,
the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (hereinafter “the Inter-American Court”, “the
Court”, or “the Tribunal”), composed of the following judges: 1
Cecilia Medina Quiroga, President;
Sergio García Ramírez, Judge;
Manuel E. Ventura Robles, Judge;
Leonardo A. Franco, Judge;
Margarette May Macaulay, Judge;
Rhadys Abreu Blondet, Judge, and
Pier Paolo Pasceri Scaramuzza, Judge ad hoc;
also present,
Pablo Saavedra Alessandri, Secretary, and
Emilia Segares Rodríguez, Deputy Secretary;
pursuant with 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, 56,
and 58 of the Rules of Procedure of the Court (hereinafter “the Rules of Procedure”), issues
the present Judgment.
I
INTRODUCTION OF THE CASE AND OBJECT OF THE CONTROVERSY
1.
On April 20, 2007, pursuant with Articles 51 and 61 of the American Convention, the
Inter-American Commission of Human Rights (hereinafter “the Commission” or “the InterAmerican Commission”) submitted to the Court an application against the Bolivarian
Republic of Venezuela (hereinafter “the State” or “Venezuela”) in relation to case 12,441,
which was originated in petition No. 4109/02, presented at the Secretariat of the
Commission on July 23, 2002 by Luisiana Ríos, Luis Augusto Contreras Alvarado, and
Eduardo Sapene Granier, acting on their own behalf and in representation of Messrs. Javier
García, Isnardo Bravo, David Pérez Hansen, Wilmer Marcano, Winston Gutiérrez, and Isabel
Mavárez, all employees of the television station Compañía Anónima Radio Caracas
Televisión (hereinafter “RCTV). On February 27, 2004 the Commission approved
Admissibility Report No. 06/04 and on October 26, 2006 it approved the Report on Merits
1
The Judge Diego García-Sayán excused himself from hearing the present case (infra paras. 8 and 30-32).