The facts of the case refer to the extrajudicial execution of Luis Alfredo Almonacid Arellano in September 1973, in the context of the military regime which governed Chile during that time. Investigations into the events were affected by the application of the amnesty law which was approved by legal Decree N° 2191 in 1978.

The IA Court developed criteria for the definition of crimes against humanity and the obligation of states to investigate and punish crimes of this nature, regardless of the existence of amnesty laws. Furthermore, standards were developed with regards to the State obligation to ensure the exercise of “conventionality control” between domestic legal regulations and the American Convention.