Naranjo and OM, as well as a third person, who was intoxicated and directed insults at the police officers, demanding the release of OM.40 The three men were transferred to the Quero Canton Police Station jail cells.41 43. About an hour later,42 a group of around 400 individuals43 from the Puñachizag and Shaushi communities44 arrived at the police station45 and freed OF and OM, who were members of the Puñachizag community.46 Said group also took Fredy Núñez Naranjo, Gregoria Naranjo, and Marcia Núñez Naranjo as hostages. The latter two individuals were found outside the police station.47 44. At the time of Fredy Núñez Naranjo's kidnapping, the Quero Canton police station was guarded by at least two police officers and a police commissioner.48 It has not been proven that any of them took specific actions to prevent the Núñez Naranjo family members from being taken into custody.49 45. The three detained individuals were relocated to the Puñachizag community,50 situated three kilometers from the police station, where they were subjected to physical assaults.51 Subsequently, Gregoria Naranjo and Marcia Núñez Naranjo were taken to the community of Cf. Police report addressed to the Quero Canton National Police Station on July 15, 2001 at 4:00 PM (case file of evidence, page 1658). 41 Cf. Police Report No. 1123-PJT-CP9-2001 from August 16, 2001 (case file of evidence, page 16). 42 Some evidence suggests that the crowd arrived "an hour and a half" after the arrest, and others indicate that the aforementioned occurred "half an hour" later. Cf. Police Report addressed to the Provincial Chief of the Tungurahua Police Command on July 15, 2001 at 17:30 hours (case file of evidence, page 1656); Police Report addressed to the Provincial Police Commander of Tungurahua on July 15, 2001 at 19:00 hours (case file of evidence, page 1660); Police Report No. 1123-PJT-CP9-2001 from August 16, 2001 (case file of evidence, page 16). 43 Cf. Paragraphs 31 and 62 of the Report on the Merits of the Commission of May 4, 2019 (case file, page 11); page 5 of the State's Answering Brief (case file on the merits, page 158) and Police Report No. 1123-PJT-CP9-2001 from August 16, 2001 (case file of evidence, page 24). 44 Cf. Declaration given by Sixto Núñez on April 29, 2002 before the Prosecutor of Tungurahua (case file of evidence, page 33) and final oral arguments presented by the State during the Public Hearing held on February 3, 2023 within the framework of the 155th Regular Session. 45 According to a statement made by Sixto Núñez to the district attorney of Tungurahua, those who entered "[m]ake noise and pus[h] the doors of the Police Station, and enter through both doors." Cf. Statements made by Sixto Núñez on April 29, 2002 before the district attorney of Tungurahua (case file of evidence, page 34). According to a police report, those who appeared at the "had proceeded to breach the security of the [police] station." Cf. Police report addressed to the Provincial Police Commander of Tungurahua on July 15, 2001 at 7:00 PM (case file of evidence, page 1660). 46 Cf. Police report addressed to the Provincial Police Commander of Tungurahua, July 15, 2001 at 7:00 PM (case file of evidence, page 1660). 47 Cf. Police Report No. 1123-PJT-CP9-2001 from August 16, 2001 (case file of evidence, page 24). 48 Cf. Testimonial statements of MV and LPV given on August 15, 2001 (case file of evidence, pages 37 and 322). 49 One of the police officers who arrived at the scene of the brawl and later participated in the arrest and transfer of Fredy Núñez Naranjo to the jail cell of the Police Station stated that, at the time of the kidnapping, "[no] action was take[n] due to the number of community members who we[re] around the station, taking the hostages in an unknown direction." Cf. Testimonial statement of MV given on August 15, 2001 (case file of evidence, pages 36 and 37). 50 This is indicated in one of the police reports issued that day. Cf. Police Report addressed to the Provincial Police Commander of Tungurahua, July 15, 2001 at 19:00 hours /case file of evidence, page 1660). 51 According to Sixto Núñez, "they b[lindfolded] [all] three of them and tied their hands behind their backs, beating them mercilessly." Cf. Version given by Sixto Núñez on April 29, 2002 before the district attorney of Tungurahua (case file of evidence, page 34) and Provisional stay of proceedings by the Fourth Criminal Court of Tungurahua of December 11, 2002 (page 45 of the case file of evidence). According to Police Report No. 1123-PJT-CP9-2001 of August 16, 2001, Ms. Naranjo and Núñez were "flogged" in the community of Puñachizag (case file of evidence, folio 16). According to María Gregoria Naranjo, she and her daughter Marcia Núñez Naranjo "[they] hit [them], but not too hard." Cf. Statement by María Gregoria Naranjo given at the public hearing on February 3, 2023. 40 -16-