8
investigations and pointed out the difficulties involved in investigating events which
took place in a jail where the witnesses are the very persons kept under custody, who
are afraid to give testimony. Additionally, the representatives restated the need for the
State to effectively investigate the deaths and reported acts of torture, and highlighted
the lack of specific information in that regard in the State’s reports. The Commission
pointed out that the State may not transfer the responsibility for the lack of
clarification of the events to the inmates.
24.
That the Court has stated that the duty to investigate derives from the States’
general duty to guarantee the human rights enshrined in the Convention, that is, the
obligation under Article 1(1) of such treaty together with the substantive law which
should have been protected or guaranteed.6 The violation of human rights gives rise to
the State's duty to investigate.
25.
That, additionally, investigating the events and eventually punishing those
responsible is key to avoid the repetition of human rights violations, for which the
Court has restated in its Orders the State’s obligation to investigate the events which
took place at the Urso Branco Prison and gave rise to these measures.
26.
That, notwithstanding the State’s duty to investigate such events to guarantee
the essential rights to life and to humane treatment, the Court, within the framework
of these provisional measures, and as it has decided in other matters,7 it will not
consider the effectiveness of the investigations carried out or the alleged negligence of
the State in such investigations, inasmuch as it has not declared human rights
violations.
27.
That such analysis should be carried out when examining the merits of case N.
12,568, currently being heard by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
(supra Considering clause N. 21).
NOW THEREFORE,
6
Cf. I/A Court H.R. Case of Velásquez-Rodríguez v. Honduras. Merits. Judgment of July 29, 1988.
Series C N. 4, para. 177; I/A Court H.R. Case of Albán Cornejo et al., supra note 4, para. 62; and I/A Court
H.R. Case of García Prieto et al. Preliminary Objection, Merits, Reparations and Costs. Judgment of
November 20, 2007. Series C N. 168, para. 100.
7
Cf. Matter of Children Deprived of Liberty in the "Complexo do Tatuapé" of FEBEM. Provisional
Measures regarding Brazil. Order of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights of July 3, 2007, Considering
clause N. 16.