2 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION TO THE CASE AND CAUSE OF THE DISPUTE ................................................. 4 PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE COURT ...................................................................................... 6 JURISDICTION ..................................................................................................................... 7 PARTIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY............................................................. 8 A. PARTIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY BY THE STATE AND OBSERVATIONS BY THE COMMISSION AND THE REPRESENTATIVES .................................................................................................................... 8 A.1. Regarding Noel Emiro Omeara Carrascal ........................................................................ 8 A.2. Regarding Manuel Guillermo Omeara Miraval .................................................................. 8 A.3. Regarding Héctor Álvarez Sánchez ................................................................................ 9 A.4. Regarding the Omeara Miraval, Omeara Álvarez and Álvarez Solano Families .................... 10 B. CONSIDERATIONS OF THE COURT ........................................................................................... 11 PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS ...................................................................................... 15 A. REGARDING JOSÉ ERMINSO SEPÚLVEDA SARAVIA AND HIS NEXT OF KIN, AS WELL AS ZOILA MIRAVAL DE OMEARA AND JOSÉ MIGUEL OMEARA MIRAVAL DUE TO LACK OF IDENTIFICATION IN THE ARTICLE 50 REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION, PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 35(1) OF THE COURT’S RULES OF PROCEDURE .............. ¡ERROR! MARCADOR NO DEFINIDO. A.1. Arguments of the Commission and the Parties .............................................................. 15 A.1.a. Regarding José Erminso Sepúlveda Saravia and his next of kin .................................. 15 A.1.b.Regarding Zoila Miraval de Omeara and José Miguel Omeara Miraval ........................... 16 A.2. Considerations of the Court ........................................................................................ 17 B. REGARDING THE INCIDENCES OF THREATS AND PERSECUTION AGAINST THE COMMUNITY ACTION MOVEMENT AND OTHER ALLEGED FACTS THAT GENERATED THE VIOLATIONS OF THE RIGHTS CONTAINED IN ARTICLES 13, 16 AND 23 OF THE CONVENTION, AS WELL AS 4 AND 5 THEREOF, TO THE DETRIMENT OF JOSÉ ERMINSO SEPÚLVEDA¡ERROR! MARCADOR NO DEFINIDO. B.1. Arguments of the Commission and the Parties .............................................................. 17 B.2. Considerations of the Court ........................................................................................ 19 EVIDENCE .......................................................................................................................... 19 A. ADMISSIBILITY OF DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE ............................................................................... 19 B. ADMISSIBILITY OF TESTIMONIAL AND EXPERT EVIDENCE................................................................... 19 FACTS ................................................................................................................................ 20 A. CONTEXT....................................................................................................................... 21 A.1. The general context of collaboration between paramilitary groups and the Security Forces in Colombia ....................................................................................................................... 21 A.2. The situation in the south of the Department of Cesar .................................................... 21 B. FACTS REGARDING NOEL EMIRO OMEARA CARRASCAL ..................................................................... 22 B.1. Personal circumstances and next of kin of Noel Emiro Omeara Carrascal ........................... 23 B.2. Attack and subsequent death of Noel Emiro Omeara Carrascal ........................................ 23 C. FACTS REGARDING MANUEL GUILLERMO OMEARA MIRAVAL ............................................................... 24 C.1. Personal and family circumstances of Manuel Guillermo Omeara Miraval ........................... 24 C.2. Disappearance and execution of Manuel Guillermo Omeara Miraval ................................. 25 D. FACTS REGARDING HÉCTOR ÁLVAREZ SÁNCHEZ ............................................................................ 26 D.1. Background regarding Héctor Álvarez Sánchez.............................................................. 27 D.2. Attack and subsequent death of Héctor Álvarez Sánchez ................................................ 27 E. DISPALCEMENT OF THE MEMBERS OF THE OMEARA AND ÁLVAREZ FAMILIES ............................................... 28 F. INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE ATTACKS ON MESSRS. OMEARA CARRASCAL, OMEARA MIRAVAL AND ÁLVAREZ SOLANO …….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………28 F.1. Investigation into Omeara Carrascal ............................................................................ 29 F.2. Investigation into Manuel Guillermo Omeara Miraval ...................................................... 32 F.2.1. Ordinary criminal justice ...................................................................................... 32 F.2.2. Military criminal jurisdiction .................................................................................. 36 F.2.3. Disciplinary Investigation ..................................................................................... 36 F.3. Investigation into Héctor Álvarez Sánchez .................................................................... 37 F.4. Proceedings in the jurisdiction of “Justice and Peace” ..................................................... 40 MERITS .............................................................................................................................. 41 RIGHT TO LIFE AND TO HUMANE TREATMENT (ARTICLES 4 AND 5 OF THE AMERIAN CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS, REGARDING ARTICLE 1(1)) .......................................... 42 A.ARGUEMENTS OF THE COMMISSION AND THE PARTIES ........................................................................ 42 B. CONSIDERATIONS OF THE COURT .............................................................................................. 43 C. CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................... 46