TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION OF THE CASE AND PURPOSE OF THE DISPUTE ................................................................... 4 II. PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE COURT ............................................................................................................ 5 III. PRIOR CONSIDERATIONS .......................................................................................................................... 7 A. Regarding the submission of the case to the Inter-American Court............................................................ 7 A.1) Arguments of the Commission and of the parties........................................................................................ 7 A.2) Considerations of the Court ..................................................................................................................... 8 B. Regarding the representation of the Commission at the public hearing before the Court .............................. 9 C. Regarding the factual framework of this case ............................................. ¡Error! Marcador no definido. IV. PRELIMINARY OBJECTIONS ..................................................................................................................... 10 A. Alleged violation of due process in the proceedings before the Inter-American Commission ........................ 10 A.1) Arguments of the Commission and of the parties...................................................................................... 10 A.2) Considerations of the Court ................................................................................................................... 11 A.2.1) Interpretation of Article 46(1)(b) of the Convention regarding the six-month time frame for lodging petitions before the Commission ................................................................................................................................ 13 A.2.2) Alleged application of the estoppel principle .......................................................................................... 14 A.2.3) Alleged violation of the State’s right of defense ..................................................................................... 14 B. Alleged failure to exhaust domestic remedies ............................................. ¡Error! Marcador no definido. B.1) Arguments of the Commission and of the parties...................................................................................... 19 B.2) Considerations of the Court ................................................................................................................... 19 V. COMPETENCE .............................................................................................................................................. 21 VI. EVIDENCE ................................................................................................................................................. 21 A. Documentary evidence ............................................................................ ¡Error! Marcador no definido. B. Admission of the evidence........................................................................ ¡Error! Marcador no definido. VII. PROVEN FACTS ........................................................................................................................................ 24 A. Background to the criminal complaint and civil action against Messrs. Mémoli .......................................... 24 B. Criminal proceeding against Carlos and Pablo Mémoli ............................................................................ 28 B.1) First instance decision ........................................................................................................................... 29 B.2) Decision on appeal ............................................................................................................................... 33 B.3) Subsequent remedies ........................................................................................................................... 35 B.4) Facts subsequent to the criminal proceeding ............................................................................................ 36 C. Civil proceedings against Carlos and Pablo Mémoli ................................................................................ 38 D. Precautionary measure of injunction against the sale or encumbrance of property¡Error! Marcador no definido. VIII. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND PRINCIPLE OF LEGALITY AND RETROACTIVITY, IN RELATION TO THE OBLIGATION TO RESPECT AND TO ENSURE THE RIGHTS AND THE OBLIGATION TO ADOPT PROVISIONS OF DOMESTIC LAW ................................................................................................................... 46 A. The alleged violation of freedom of expression ..................................................................................... 46 A.1) Arguments of the Commission and of the parties...................................................................................... 46 A.2) Considerations of the Court ................................................................................................................... 48 A.2.1) Freedom of expression and protection of honor and reputation ................................................................ 48 A.2.2) The subsequent imposition of liability in this case .................................................................................. 52 B. The alleged violation of the principle of legality and retroactivity ................... ¡Error! Marcador no definido. 2