2 TABLE OF CONTENTS I INTRODUCTION OF THE CASE AND CAUSE OF ACTION ......................................... 3 II PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE COURT .................................................................... 4 III JURISDICTION .................................................................................................. 6 IV PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS ...................................................................... 7 A. Determination and individualization of the alleged victims ........................................... 7 A.1 Arguments of the parties and the Commission .......................................................... 7 A.2 Considerations of the Court .................................................................................... 7 B. On the factual framework of the case ........................................................................ 8 B.1 Arguments of the parties and the Commission .......................................................... 8 B.2 Considerations of the Court .................................................................................... 9 V EVIDENCE .......................................................................................................... 10 A. Admissibility of documentary evidence .................................................................... 10 B. Admissibility of testimonial and expert evidence ....................................................... 12 VI FACTS .............................................................................................................. 13 A. Events that occurred between January 17 and 30, 2002 ............................................ 13 B. Actions taken by the next of kin and investigation of the facts .................................... 17 B.1 Actions taken at the request of the next of kin........................................................ 17 B.2 Criminal investigation .......................................................................................... 18 C. Refugee status of Juan Arrom and Anuncio Martí in Brazil .......................................... 21 VII ......................................................................................................................... 22 MERITS .................................................................................................................. 22 VII-1 ALLEGED VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS TO PERSONAL LIBERTY, PERSONAL INTEGRITY, LIFE AND RIGHT TO JURIDICAL PERSONALITY, IN RELATION TO THE OBLIGATION TO RESPECT RIGHTS ........................................................................ 23 A. Arguments of the parties and of the Commission ...................................................... 23 B. Considerations of the Court.................................................................................... 24 B.1 Information that aims to demonstrate the alleged state participation ........................ 25 B.2 The conclusions of the criminal investigation carried out on the facts......................... 32 B.3 Conclusion ......................................................................................................... 35 VII-2 ALLEGED VIOLATION OF JUDICIAL GUARANTEES AND JUDICIAL PROTECTION, IN RELATION TO THE OBLIGATION TO RESPECT AND GUARANTEE RIGHTS........... 35 A. Arguments of the parties and of the Commission ...................................................... 35 B. Considerations of the Court.................................................................................... 36 B.1 Duty to initiate an investigation ex officio .............................................................. 37 B.2 Due diligence in the investigations ........................................................................ 38 B.3 Conclusion ......................................................................................................... 41 VII-3 ALLEGED VIOLATION OF THE RIGHT TO PERSONAL INTEGRITY OF THE FAMILY MEMBERS OF JUAN ARROM SUHURT AND ANUNCIÓ MARTÍ MENDEZ ..................... 41 A. Arguments of the parties and of the Commission ...................................................... 41 B. Considerations of the Court.................................................................................... 42 VIII OPERATIVE PARAGRAPHS ............................................................................. 42