56
they had been able to locate the following family members of Diomedes: Diomedes
Tito García, father, Ester Patricia García Sánchez, Jorge Moisés García Sánchez, and
Fidelia Sarahí García Sánchez, siblings, and Lidia Sánchez Loredo and Betania García
Casildo, aunts. Besides, they informed that Mrs. Andrea Sánchez Loredo, mother of
the victim, had passed away in the year 1985. They enclosed the birth certificates of
the parents and siblings, and the death certificate of the victim’s mother. Prior to
that finding and during the processing of the case before the Inter-American system,
both the Commission and the representatives had stated that they had not been able
to “locate [the parents of Diomedes], since the youngster did not have any type of
relationship with them and at the time of his killing he lived in a welfare house for
minors in street situations […]”.
158. The jurisprudence of this Tribunal, in what refers to the determination of who
the victims are, has been ample and adjusted to the circumstances of the case. The
alleged victims must be identified in the application and in the report of merits of the
Commission issued pursuant to Article 50 of the Convention. Therefore, pursuant to
Article 33(1) of the Rules of Procedure of the Court, it corresponds to the
Commission, and not to this Tribunal, to identify with precision, and in the due
procedural opportunity, the alleged victims in a case before the Court.94 However, in
its defect, on some occasions the Court has considered as victims people that were
not argued as such in the application, as long as the right to defense of the parties
has been respected and that the alleged victims are related to the facts described in
the application and with the evidence presented to the Court.95
159. In this regard, since the father of Diomedes Obed García Sánchez had been
included in the brief of pleadings and motions, and that subsequently the
representatives proved the existence of Ester Patricia García Sánchez, Jorge Moisés
García Sánchez, and Fidelia Sarahí García Sánchez and of their corresponding bonds
or relationships with Diomedes Obed García Sánchez, this Court, in consideration of
the fact that their lack of inclusion was due to a difficulty in finding them, and that
their location was only possible after the presentation of the application and the brief
of pleadings and motions, it considers said family members as alleged victims and it
ruled a violation of Articles 8 and 25 of the Convention in their detriment (supra
para. 156). The parties were granted their right to a defense by forwarding them
the information provided by the representatives and no observation was received in
this regard.
X
REPARATIONS
APPLICATION OF ARTICLE 63(1)
OBLIGATION TO REPAIR
160. Pursuant to the analysis made in the aforementioned chapters, the Court has
declared, based on the State’s partial acknowledgment of responsibility, and on the
facts of the case and the evidence presented before this Tribunal, that the State is
responsible for the violation of the rights enshrined in Articles 4(1), 5(1), 5(2), 5(5),
7(1), 7(2), 7(3), 7(4), 7(5), 7(6), 8(1), 8(2), 19, and 25(1) of the American
Convention, and for the non-compliance of the obligations derived from Article 1(1)
94
95
Cfr. Case of the Ituango Massacres, supra note 3, para. 98.
Cfr. Case of the Ituango Massacres, supra note 3, para. 91; and Case of Acevedo Jaramillo et al.
Judgment of February 7, 2006. Series C No. 144, para. 227.