TABLE OF CONTENTS I INTRODUCTION OF THE CASE AND PURPOSE OF THE DISPUTE .......................... 5 II PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE COURT .................................................................. 8 III COMPETENCE ................................................................................................ 12 IV PRELIMINARY OBJECTIONS ........................................................................... 12 A) PRELIMINARY OBJECTION OF FAILURE TO EXHAUST DOMESTIC REMEDIES ...................... 13 A.1. Arguments of the parties and of the Commission ........................................... 13 A.2. Considerations of the Court ........................................................................ 14 B) OBJECTION OF THE COURT’S LACK OF COMPETENCE RATIONE TEMPORIS ........................ 16 B.1. Arguments of the parties and of the Commission ........................................... 16 B.2. Considerations of the Court ........................................................................ 17 C) OBJECTION OF THE COURT’S LACK OF COMPETENCE RATIONE PERSONAE ........................ 19 C.1. Arguments of the parties and the Commission .............................................. 19 C.2. Considerations of the Court ........................................................................ 20 V PRELIMINARY ISSUES ..................................................................................... 21 A) DETERMINATION OF THE PRESUMED VICTIMS .......................................................... 21 A.1. Arguments of the parties and the Commission .............................................. 22 A.2. Considerations of the Court ........................................................................ 26 A.2.1. Persons identified with different names ................................................... 26 A.2.2. Persons whose place of birth could not be determined .............................. 27 A.2.3. Absence of powers of attorney in favor of the representatives ................... 28 A.2.4. Questions raised about identity .............................................................. 29 A.2.5. Persons who will not be considered presumed victims............................... 29 B) THE FACTUAL FRAMEWORK ................................................................................. 31 B.1. Arguments of the parties and the Commission .............................................. 31 B.2. Considerations of the Court ........................................................................ 33 VI EVIDENCE ...................................................................................................... 33 A) DOCUMENTARY, TESTIMONIAL AND EXPERT EVIDENCE............................................... 34 B) ADMISSION OF THE DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE ......................................................... 34 C) ADMISSION OF THE STATEMENTS OF THE PRESUMED VICTIMS AND OF THE TESTIMONIAL AND EXPERT EVIDENCE ................................................................................................. 45 C.1. Considerations on the statements of the presumed victims ............................. 45 C.2. Considerations on the expert evidence ......................................................... 46 VII FACTS ........................................................................................................... 47 A) CONTEXT ........................................................................................................ 47 A.1. The socio-economic situation of Haitians and those of Haitian descent and the alleged discriminatory concept held of them ........................................................ 48 A.1.1 The socio-economic situations of Haitians and those of Haitian descent in the Dominican Republic ....................................................................................... 48 A.1.2. The alleged discriminatory concept in relation to Haitians and those of Haitian descent in the Dominican Republic .................................................................. 50 A.2. The alleged problem for Haitians and Dominicans of Haitian descent to obtain official documents ............................................................................................ 52 A.3. The alleged existence of a systematic practice of collective expulsions of Haitians and Dominicans of Haitian descent ..................................................................... 54 A.4. Pertinent domestic legal framework ............................................................. 58 A.4.1. Laws on Dominican nationality ............................................................... 58 A.4.1.1. Laws in force at the time of the facts ................................................ 58 A.4.1.2. Innovations in legislation and jurisprudence after 2004 ....................... 58 2