The facts of the case refer to the extrajudicial execution of Juan Humberto Sánchez, after being detained by a group of armed militants without a warrant due to his alleged links to the guerrilla group “Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional (FMLN)” [Farabundo Martí Front for National Liberation].

The IA Court located the events in the context of the 1980s and early 1990s pattern of forced disappearances and executions committed by military forces under the doctrine of national security, allowing for the capture of “dangerous” people. In this environment, the military controlled the police, and judges felt intimidated to investigate events.

The IA Court established standards regarding illegal and arbitrary detention, as well as on torture which became evident through the conditions in which the body of the victim was found.