5 Liscano (Lizcano), Alicia de González, and Carmen Alicia Mendoza, all of whom are members of the non-governmental organization Comité de Familiares de Víctimas de los sucesos de Febrero-Marzo de 1989 (COFAVIC). 6. The purpose of urgent and provisional measures, in International Human Rights Law, in addition to their essentially preventive nature, is to effectively protect fundamental rights, insofar as they seek to avoid irreparable damage to persons. Granting urgent and provisional measures, given their own juridical nature and purpose, can under no circumstances prejudge on the merits of the case. 7. It is a responsibility of the State to adopt security measures to protect all persons under its jurisdiction, and this duty is even more evident in connection with persons involved in proceedings before the bodies responsible for protection under the American Convention. 8. The State also has the obligation to investigate the facts that gave rise to this request for Provisional Measures with the aim of identifying those responsible and punishing them as appropriate. THEREFORE: THE INTER-AMERICAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS exercising the authority granted by Article 63(2) of the American Convention on Human Rights and Article 25 of its Rules of Procedure, DECIDES: 1. To order the State to adopt, without delay, all necessary measures to protect the life and the right to humane treatment of Liliana Ortega, Yris Medina Cova, Hilda Páez (Gilda Páez), Maritza Romero, Aura Liscano (Lizcano), Alicia de González, and Carmen Alicia Mendoza, all of whom are members of the non-governmental organization Comité de Familiares de Víctimas de los sucesos de Febrero-Marzo de 1989 (COFAVIC). 2. To order the State to allow the applicants to participate in planning and implementation of the protection measures and, in general, to inform them of progress regarding the measures ordered by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. 3. To order the State to investigate the facts stated in the complaint that gave rise to the instant measures, with the aim of discovering and punishing those responsible. 4. To order the State to report to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights on the measures adopted to comply with the instant Order, no later than December 12, 2002. 5. To order the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to submit its comments on the report by the State to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, within a week of being notified thereof.