VII-III
RIGHT TO JUDICIAL GUARANTEES, IN RELATION TO THE OBLIGATIONS TO
RESPECT AND ENSURE RIGHTS AND TO ADOPT DOMESTIC LEGAL PROVISIONS,
ESTABLISHED IN THE AMERICAN CONVENTION 173
124. In order to determine whether the State is responsible for the alleged violations of
Articles 13 and 8(1), in relation to Articles 1(1) and 2, all of the American Convention, the
Court will synthesize the arguments of the parties, and make the pertinent considerations on
the judicial processes and the normative framework related to the right to seek and receive
information.
125.
According to the file, the requests for declassification and access to information
contained in military archives "that could clarify the whereabouts of Juan Carlos Flores
Bedregal and possible perpetrators of his forced disappearance" were initiated and promoted
in the context of the criminal "Public Prosecutor's Office v/ Franz Pizarro Solano et al."
proceedings and the administrative procedure before the Armed Forces derived from
Ministerial Resolution No. 316. As to Procedure No. 6441/09, reference will be made only with
regard to the process of the "Public Prosecutor v/ Franz Pizarro Solano et al."
A. Judicial and administrative proceedings
A.1. Criminal proceedings "Public Prosecutor's Office v/ Franz Pizarro
Solano et al."
A.1(1). Arguments of the Commission and the parties
126. The Commission reported that in the criminal proceedings "Public Prosecutor v/ Franz
Pizarro Solano et al.," the judicial authorities belatedly issued orders for the declassification
of military archives, which were not complied with in a timely manner by the Armed Forces.
It noted that the State was obliged to respond in a timely manner to requests for access to
information and to ensure that the Armed Forces provided the information to the judicial
authorities and to Mr. Flores Bedregal's family; it therefore failed to fulfil its positive
obligations in this matter. In addition, it noted that court orders did not guarantee direct
access to information for Mr. Flores Bedregal's relatives. It argued that victims of serious
human rights violations and their families have the right to direct and timely access to the
information necessary to know the truth about what occurred, including that contained in
military archives; whereas states cannot invoke national security reasons to prevent such
access; and that the invocation of article 98 of the Organic Law of the Armed Forces is
incompatible with the obligations of the State in this matter. It concluded that the State
violated Articles 13 and 25 of the Convention, in relation to Articles 1(1) and 2 of the same
instrument.
127. The representative alleged that, by not responding in a timely manner to requests
for access to information, the State obstructed exercise of the right to the truth and prevented
the obtaining of essential evidence for the clarification of what occurred. It indicated that the
judicial authorities issued the condemnatory judgment without having responded to the
requests for declassification and access to military archives submitted in 2006; and that in
the appeal, the judicial authorities ordered access to the military archives, but did not ensure
compliance or take measures to ensure their effectiveness. Similarly, no sanctions were
imposed for disobedience to orders, thus emphasizing the right to truth and the right of access
173
Articles 1(1), 2, 8(1), 13(1), and 13(2) of the American Convention.
39