The facts of the case refer to the deprivation of liberty of Alfredo López Álvarez, who was president of the “Comité de Defensa de Tierras Triunfeñas” [Committtee for the Defense of Triunfeñas Lands], and vice-president of the “Organización Fraternal Negra de Honduras” [Black Fraternal Organization of Honduras], after being detained by agents of the State for the alleged crime of drugs trafficking. After being transferred to the Criminal Investigation Division he suffered torture and was coerced into incriminating himself. He was eventually acquitted, however was detained for a further 7 months.

The IA Court made reference to standards on preventative prison, the right to effective judicial remedy, and reasonable time period. In conjunction, it developed standards on the right to issue information, which in this case was damaged by the orders of the Director of the prison where the victim was kept; the prohibition of the right of the Garifuna population to speak in their mother tongue constituted a discriminatory act against him.