accusations regarding disappearances.” 16 In addition, following the change of government in
December 2000, they lodged a fresh claim.
25. The Inter-American Commission notes that more than 31 years have passed since Rosendo
Radilla Pacheco’s alleged disappearance, 13 years since the filing of the first complaint, and more
than three years since the appointment of the FEMOSSP, and yet no specific progress has been
made in locating the alleged disappearance victim or in investigating or punishing the guilty. As of
the date of this report’s adoption, the investigation of the case in Mexico is still a pending matter.
26. In the IACHR’s view, based on the above information, the petition was lodged within a
reasonable time per the terms of Article 32(2) of its Rules of Procedure.
3.
Duplication of proceedings
27. The Commission has received no information from either the parties or other sources to
indicate that the substance of the instant petition is pending in any other international settlement
proceeding.
4.
Characterization of the alleged facts
28. Article 47 paragraphs (b) and (c) of the American Convention states that the Commission shall
consider inadmissible any petition or communication that “does not state facts that tend to
establish a violation of the rights guaranteed by this Convention” or where “the statements of the
petitioner or of the state indicate that the petition or communication is manifestly groundless or
obviously out of order”.
29. The Inter-American Commission takes into account the context within which the alleged
incidents took place and it believes the petitioners’ representations describe events that, if proven
true, could tend to establish violations of the right to life, to humane treatment, to personal
liberty, to a fair trial, and to judicial protection as set forth, respectively, in Articles 4, 5, 7, 8, and
25 of the American Convention, all in conjunction with Article 1(1) thereof. Accordingly, the
Commission considers that Articles II, IX, XI and XIX of the Inter-American Convention on Forced
Disappearance of Persons could apply. The IACHR therefore holds that the requirement set in
Article 47(b) of the American Convention has been met and decides that the incident warrants a
closer and more complete study during the merits phase.
V.
CONCLUSIONS
30. The IACHR concludes that it is competent to hear this petition and that it is in compliance with
the admissibility requirements set out in Articles 46 and 47 of the American Convention and the
corresponding articles of its Rules of Procedure. Based on the legal and factual considerations
contained in this report,
THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
DECIDES:
1. To declare, without prejudging the merits of the case, that the petition is admissible as regards
the alleged facts and with respect to Articles 4 (right to life), 5 (right to humane treatment), 7
(right to personal liberty), 8 (right to a fair trial), and 25 (right to judicial protection) of the
American Convention; the obligation to respect those rights described in Article 1(1) thereof; and
16 Petitioners’ submission, October 21, 2004, paragraph 13, p. 3.
6