INTER-AMERICAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS CASE OF THE LANDAETA MEJÍAS BROTHERS ET AL. v. VENEZUELA JUDGMENT OF AUGUST 27, 2014 (Preliminary objections, merits, reparations and costs) In the case of the Landaeta Mejías Brothers et al., the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (hereinafter “the Inter-American Court” or “the Court”), composed of the following judges: Humberto Antonio Sierra Porto, President Roberto F. Caldas, Vice President Manuel E. Ventura Robles, Judge Eduardo Vio Grossi, Judge, and Eduardo Ferrer Mac-Gregor Poisot, Judge; ∗ also present, Pablo Saavedra Alessandri, Secretary, and Emilia Segares Rodríguez, Deputy Secretary, pursuant to Articles 62(3) and 63(1) of the American Convention on Human Rights (hereinafter “the American Convention” or “the Convention”) and Articles 31, 32, 42, 65 and 67 of the Rules of Procedure of the Court (hereinafter “the Rules of Procedure”), delivers this judgment structured as follows: CASE OF THE LANDAETA MEJÍAS BROTHERS ET AL. V. VENEZUELA Table of contents I INTRODUCTION OF THE CASE AND PURPOSE OF THE DISPUTE .................................. 3 II PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE COURT........................................................................... 4 III COMPETENCE ........................................................................................................... 6 IV PRELIMINARY OBJECTIONS OF FAILURE TO EXHAUST DOMESTIC REMEDIES .......... 6 A. Arguments of the parties and of the Commission ...................................................... 6 B. Considerations of the Court .................................................................................... 8 B.1 Alleged failure to exhaust domestic remedies in the case of Eduardo José Landaeta Mejías ..................................................................................................................... 9 B.2 Alleged failure to exhaust domestic remedies in the case of Igmar Alexander Landaeta Mejías ..................................................................................................................... 9 V EVIDENCE ................................................................................................................ 11 A. Documentary, testimonial and expert evidence ....................................................... 12 B. Admission of the evidence.................................................................................... 12 B.1 Admission of the documentary evidence .............................................................. 12 B.2 Admission of the testimonial and expert evidence ................................................. 13 ∗ Judges Diego García-Sayán and Alberto Pérez Pérez, excused themselves from the deliberation of this Judgment on preliminary objections, merits, reparations and costs; the former presented his excuses, and the latter for reasons beyond his control.