ORDER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS ∗ OF SEPTEMBER 1, 2011 REQUEST FOR PROVISIONAL MEASURES REGARDING THE REPUBLIC OF GUATEMALA CASE OF GARCÍA AND FAMILY HAVING SEEN: 1. The brief of the representatives of the alleged victims 1 (hereinafter the “representatives”) of July 26, 2011 and its attachments, in which they submitted to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (hereinafter “the Inter-American Court” or “the Court”) a request for provisional measures in accordance with Article 63(2) of the American Convention on Human Rights (hereinafter “the American Convention” or “the Convention”) and Article 27 of the Court’s Rules of Procedure 2 (hereinafter “the Rules”), for the purpose of requiring the Republic of Guatemala (hereinafter the “State” or “Guatemala”) to protect the life and personal integrity of Mr. Luis Roberto Romero Rivera. 2. The alleged facts upon which the request for provisional measures submitted by the representatives is based, namely: a) since 2008 Mr. Romero Rivera has worked as the Director of the Special Investigations Unit at the Office of the Human Rights Ombudsman, the body “in charge of conducting investigations into cases of forced disappearances that occurred during the internal armed conflict in Guatemala”; b) Mr. Romero Rivera has worked on the investigation into the case of Mr. Edgar Fernando García. In those criminal proceedings “the perpetrators who participated in the unlawful detention and subsequent disappearance of Fernando García were identified and prosecuted, and were sentenced to a forty-year prison term.” The first instance ruling was confirmed in second instance. However, the decision in “[t]he case is not yet final, given that the defense still has to file some appeals.” The representatives also emphasized that a colonel has been arrested and “is awaiting trial.” Said colonel held the position of Director of the National Police at the time of the forced disappearance of Mr. García; c) as to recent events to the detriment of Mr. Romero Rivera, they emphasized that on July 21, 2011 “[at] approximately 09.30,” Mr. Romero Rivera and his assistant were “followed by two vehicles.” The representatives provided a description of those two vehicles. They added that the following day the Association of Military Veterans of Guatemala published a communiqué in the newspaper La Prensa ∗ Judge Leonardo A. Franco informed the Court that, for reasons of force majeure, he was unable to be present in the deliberation and signing of this Order. 1 The alleged victims in this case appointed the Grupo of Apoyo Mutuo as their representative. 2 Rules of Procedure of the Court approved on November 24, 2009, during its Eighty-fifth Regular Period of Sessions held on November 16-28, 2009, and in force since January 1, 2010.