investigated,”12 the Truth Commission in Ecuador was established on May 3, 2007 through Executive Decree No. 305, published in the official gazette (Registro Oficial) No. 87 of May 18, 2007,13 in order to investigate human rights violations between 1984 and 1988, and other periods.14 The Truth Commission was composed of the following members: Julio César Trujillo, Monsignor Alberto Luna Tobar, Sister Elsie Monge Yoder and Pedro Restrepo Bermúdez.15 53. On June 6, 2010, the Truth Commission launched its Final Report: “Without Truth there is no Justice.” Therein, the Truth Commission established that in the period 1984-2008 there were a total of 456 victims of human rights violations in Ecuador; these violations included illegal deprivation of liberty, torture, sexual violence, forced disappearance, attempts against life and extrajudicial executions.16 54. On October 29, 2010, the Government of Ecuador presented the Report of the Truth Commission to the IACHR, within the framework of its 140th session, indicating that the delivery of the report is "part of our government's commitment with the guarantee and protection of human rights, but above all to establish a precedent that can never be repeated in America, never again in our country "17 and reported on a series of measures taken to comply with the recommendations issued by the Truth Commission18. 1. The time period between 1984 and 1988 55. Regarding the time period 1984-1988 in which President Febres Cordero was in office, the Truth Commission stated that a context of repression was created against the so-called “subversive groups” such as “Alfaro Vive Carajo” and “Montoneras Patria Libre,” aimed at the elimination of the members of these groups,19 and establishing the proposition that those who disagreed with the political ideology of the ruling regime were dangerous to the safety of the community and the country. The repression also encompassed various social sectors opposing the regime or its economic policies, such as students, peasants, workers and trade unions.20 56. As stated, the extreme repression was based in the doctrine and law of national security, "which threaten the fundamental freedoms and human rights of the Ecuadorian population with the justification of fighting Communist tendencies or extremists in the country."21 The Report added that "these 12 National Assembly of the Republic of Ecuador (Asamblea Nacional de la República del Ecuador), Ley de Protección e Inmunidad de la Comisión de la Verdad. 13 “The Truth Commission of Ecuador was established as a result of a historic process at the behest of several organizations of victims of human rights violations and their relatives (Comité de Familiares de Presos Políticos, Comité de Familiares contra la Impunidad and in the recent years the Comité Ecuatoriano No Impunidad -CENIMPU- which is composed by relatives and direct victims), who had been demanding for more than twenty years of the Ecuadorian State that it duly satisfy their rights to the truth, justice, and reparation." Report of Truth Commission of Ecuador. 2007. Executive Summary. Introduction, p. 17. 14 The objectives of the Ecuadorian Truth Commission were: (1) Perform a deep and independent investigation into the human rights violations that occurred between 1984 and 1988, and other special cases, such as the so-called Fybeca case, as well as the causes and circumstances which made them possible. (2). Request the declassification of files of the State which are confidential or of national security. (3) Promote recognition to the victims of such violations and design reparation policies. (4) Recommend the necessary legal and institutional reforms as well as effective mechanisms for the prevention and punishment of human rights violations. (5) Determine the existence of probable signs of civil, criminal and administrative responsibilities to forward them to the relevant authorities. See: Report of Truth Commission of Ecuador. 2007. Executive Summary. Introduction, p. 17. 15 Official Gazette No. 87, Article 7, Friday May 18, 2007, Thursday May 3, 2007, Constitutional President of the Republic. 16 Report of Truth Commission of Ecuador, Without Truth there is no Justice, Executive Summary, 2010. IACHR, Presentation of the Report of the Truth Commission of Ecuador, 140 period of sessions of the IACHR, available at: http://www.oas.org/es/cidh/audiencias/Hearings.aspx?Lang=es&Session=120&page=3; min. 16:30. 17 18 IACHR, Presentation of the Report of the Truth Commission of Ecuador, 140 period of sessions of the IACHR, available at: http://www.oas.org/es/cidh/audiencias/Hearings.aspx?Lang=es&Session=120&page=3; 19 Report of Truth Commission of Ecuador, Without Truth there is no Justice, Executive Summary, 2010, p.147. 20 Report of Truth Commission of Ecuador, Without Truth there is no Justice, Executive Summary, 2010, p. 148. 21 Report of Truth Commission of Ecuador, Without Truth there is no Justice, Vol. 1: Human Rights Violations, 2010, p. 326. 7