Inter-American Court of Human Rights

CONCURRING OPINION OF

JUDGE AD HOC FERNANDO VIDAL-RAMÍREZ

The truthfulness of the facts has been acknowledged by the Peruvian State, and that acknowledgement also entails that of its liability before the States, which are part of the Inter-American System of Protection of Human Rights.

As accurately expressed by the Judgment, the acknowledgement by the State constitutes a positive contribution to the principles that inspire the American Convention; however, the Judgment has also pondered the need of determination of the facts and causes and consequences of its international liability.
The facts and their consequences, occurred in the decade of the 90s have violated the right to life, to personal integrity and liberty, as well as the right to judicial guarantee and protection, and to that we have to add the non-fulfillment of the obligation of not passing laws adversarial to the American Convention on Human Rights and which are oriented to prevent the effective exercise of the rights and liberties that the latter consecrates, as it was expected to apply amnesty laws, the inefficacy of which has been definitely established ad initio.
The consequences of these facts, which violate the principles and rules that inspire and consecrate the Inter-American System, determine the reparations that the Peruvian State, by virtue of its historical continuance, must fulfill. The recognition of liability for the facts occurred in the interregnum of the 90s -even if later on recognized by the subsequent direction of the State with praiseworthy sensitivity- does not exempt it from international liability.
The historical continuity of the State thus determines the assumption of responsibilities and duties generated by international treaties, especially those oriented to the preservation and enforcement of human rights, which must be fulfilled at all time. This reflection has motivated my Opinion and so I certify.
Fernando Vidal-Ramírez

Judge ad hoc

Pablo Saavedra-Alessandri

Secretary

* Judge Oliver Jackman informed the Court, that, for reasons beyond his will, he would not be able to attend the LXXIII Regular Session, wherefore he did not take part in the deliberation and passing of this Judgment. Judge Diego García-Sayán, a Peruvian national, excused himself from hearing this case, pursuant to Article 19(2) of the Statute of the Court and Article 19 of its Rules of Procedure, since in his capacity as practicing Minister of Justice of Perú in 2001 he was a party to the instant case as Agent of the Peruvian State during its proceeding before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Therefore, on March 31, 2006 the Secretariat informed the State that, pursuant to the provisions of Article 10 of the Statute of the Court and Article 18 of its Rules of Procedure, it was entitled to appoint a judge ad hoc who would take part in the consideration of the case, to which purpose the State appointed Fernando Vidal-Ramírez.

1Cf. Case of Vargas Areco. Judgment of September 26, 2006. Series C No. 155, para. 43; Case of Goiburú et al. Judgment on Merits, Reparations and Costs. Judgment of September 22, 2006. Series C No. 153, para. 45; and Case of Servellón García et al. Judgment of September 21, 2006. Series C No. 152, para 53.

1 Cf. Case of Goiburú et al., supra note 1, para. 47. Case of the “Mapiripán Massacre”. Judgment of September 15, 2005. Series C No. 134, para.66; and Case of Molina-Theissen. Judgment of May 4, 2004. Series C No. 106, paras. 41-44.

2 Cf. Case of Goiburú et al., supra note 1, para. 48; Case of the Pueblo Bello Massacre. Judgment of January 31, 2006. Series C No. 140, para. 55; and Case of the “Mapiripán Massacre”, supra note 2 para. 59. Also Cf. Case of the Moiwana Community. Judgment of July 15, 2005. Series C No. 124 para. 91; and Case of De la Cruz-Flores. Judgment of November 18, 2004. Series C No. 115, para. 122.

3 Cf. Case of Vargas-Areco, supra note 1, para. 65; Case of Goiburú et al., supra note 1, para. 52; and Case of Servellón García et al., supra note 1, para. 77.

4 Cf. Case Vargas-Areco, supra note 1, para. 66; Case of Goiburú et al., supra note 1, para. 53; and Case Servellon-Garcia et al., supra note 1, para. 78.

5 Cf. Case of Almonacid Arellano et al. Judgment of September 26, 2006. Series C No. 154, paras. 66-69; Case Servellón García et al., supra note 1, paras. 32-35; and Case of Ximenes-Lopes. Judgment of July 4, 2006. Series C No. 149, paras. 42-45.

6 Cf. Case of Goiburú et al., supra note 1, para. 55.

7 Cf. Case of Goiburú et al., supra note 1, para. 55; Case of Ximenes-Lopes, supra note 6, para. 48; and Case of the Ituango Massacres. Judgment of July 1, 2006. Series C No. 148, para. 106.

8Cf. Case of Servellón-García et al., supra note 1, para. 50; Case of Ximenes-Lopes, supra note 6, para. 55; and Case of the Ituango Massacres, supra note 8, para. 122.

9Antonia Pérez-Velásquez, Liliana Margarita Muñoz-Pérez, Hugo Alcibíades Muñoz-Pérez, Mayte Yu yin Muñoz-Atanasio, Hugo Fedor Muñoz-Atanacio, Vladimir Ilich Muñoz-Sarria; Rosario Muñoz-Sánchez, Fedor Muñoz-Sánchez, José Esteban Oyague-Velazco, Pilar Sara Fierro-Huamán, Rita Ondina Oyague-Sulca, Luz Beatriz Taboada-Fierro, Gustavo Taboada-Fierro, Ronald Daniel Taboada-Fierro, Carmen Oyague-Velazco, Demesia Cárdenas-Gutiérrez, Saturnina Julia Rosales-Cárdenas, Celestino Eugencio Rosales-Cárdenas, Juana Torres de Lozano, Augusto Lozano-Lozano, Augusto Lozano-Torres, Miguel Lozano-Torres, Jimmy Anthony Lozano-Torres, Marilú Lozano-Torres, Magna Rosa Perea de Ortiz, Víctor Andrés Ortiz-Torres, Andrea Gisela Ortiz-Perea, Edith Luzmila Ortiz-Perea, Gaby Lorena Ortiz-Perea, Natalia Milagros Ortiz-Perea, Haydee Ortiz-Chunga, Alejandrina Raida Cóndor-Saez, Hilario Jaime Amaro-Hancco, María Amaro-Cóndor, Carmen Rosa Amaro-Cóndor, Carlos Alberto Amaro-Cóndor, Juan Luis Amaro-Cóndor, Martín Hilario Amaro-Cóndor, Francisco Manuel Amaro-Cóndor, José Ariol Teodoro-León, Edelmira Espinoza-Mory, José Faustino Pablo-Mateo, Serafina Meza-Aranda, Celina Pablo-Meza, Cristina Pablo-Meza, Marcelino Marcos Pablo-Meza, Dina Flormelania Pablo-Mateo, Isabel Figueroa-Aguilar, Román Mariños-Eusebio, Carmen Juana Mariños-Figueroa, Viviana Mariños-Figueroa, Marcia Claudina Mariños- Figueroa, Margarita Mariños-Figueroa de Padilla, Wil Eduardo Mariños-Figueroa, Rosario Carpio Cardoso-Figueroa.

10 Only the evidence of the following persons has been submitted: Víctor Andrés Ortiz-Torres, Magna Rosa Perea de Ortiz, Román Mariños- Eusebio, Isabel Figueroa-Aguilar, Hilario Amaro-Hancco, Alejandrina Raida Cóndor-Saez, Augusto Lozano-Lozano, Juana Torres-Córdova and Demesia Cárdenas-Gutiérrez.

11 However, the Court points out that in the birth certificate of Felipe Flores-Chipana, the name of his father is included as Silvestre Flores-Quispe.

12 Jaime Oyague-Velazco, uncle of Dora Oyague-Fierro; Andrea Dolores Rivera-Salazar, cousin of Luis Enrique Ortiz-Perea; Susana Amaro-Cóndor, sister of Armando Richard Amaro-Cóndor, and Bertila Bravo-Trujillo, partner of the father of Robert Edgar Teodoro-Espinoza.

13Nicolasa León-Espinoza, grand-mother of Robert Edgar Teodoro-Espinoza, and Valeria Noemí Vajarro (or Najarro), cousin of Armando Richard Amaro-Cóndor.

14 Cf. Case of Goiburú et al., supra note 1, para. 29; and Case of the Ituango Massacres, supra note 8, para. 98.

15 Cf. Case of Goiburú et al., supra note 1, para. 29, and Case of the Ituango Massacres, supra note 8, para. 91; and Case of Acevedo-Jaramillo et al. Judgment of February 7, 2006. Series C No. 144, para. 227.

16 Paragraphs 80(1) to 80(66) of this Judgment refer to undisputed facts that this Court deems to be proven based on the admission of facts and acknowledgement of liability made by the State, in the order and as described in the application. Proof of some of said facts has been completed with other evidentiary elements, which have been indicated in the corresponding footnotes. Furthermore, different paragraphs refer to facts taken from the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, in which case the corresponding footnotes have also been included. Besides, paragraphs 80(67) to 80(92), which deal with the pending criminal proceedings, refer to facts that this Court deems to be proven on the grounds of the State´s acquiescence of liability and the evidentiary elements gathered in the records of the domestic criminal proceedings, the majority part of which have been submitted by the Commission as appendixes to the application, as well as evidence to facilitate the adjudication of the case presented by the State. Finally, paragraphs 80(93) to 80(110), dealing with the next of kin, refer to the facts that are deemed proven on the basis of the following evidence: official documents (birth, marriage and death certificates), affidavits made by the next of kin and documents submitted as evidence to facilitate the adjudication of the case.

17Cf. Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, 2003, Volume VI, Patrones en la Perpetración de los Crímenes y Violaciones a los Derechos Humanos (Patterns of Crimes and Violations of Human Rights), p. 115.

18 Cf. Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, 2003, Volume VI, Patrones en la Perpetración de los Crímenes y Violaciones a los Derechos Humanos (Patterns of Crimes and Violations of Human Rights), p- 114.

19 Cf. Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, 2003, Volume VI, Patrones en la Perpetración de los Crímenes y Violaciones a los Derechos Humanos (Patterns of Crimes and Violations of Human Rights), pp. 79 to 81.

20Cf. Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, 2003, Volume VI, Patrones en la Perpetración de los Crímenes y Violaciones a los Derechos Humanos (Patterns of Crimes and Violations of Human Rights), p. 84.

21Cf. Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, 2003, Volume VI, 1.2. “Desaparición forzada de personas por agentes del Estado” (Forced Dissappearance of persons by Government agents), 1(2)(6)(2)(1) “Incursión violenta en el domicilio” (Violent burst into residences) p. 86.

22Cf. Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, 2003, Volume VI, Patrones en la Perpetración de los Crímenes y Violaciones a los Derechos Humanos (Patterns of Crimes and Violations of Human Rights), pp. 99 to 100.

23 Cf. Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, 2003, Volume VII, 2(22) “Las ejecuciones extrajudiciales de universitarios de La Cantuta (1992)” (Extra-legal executions of La Cantuta University Students) p. 234.

24During the proceedings of the instant case before the Commission, and with the purpose of undermining the statements made by General Rodolfo Robles-Espinoza, the State submitted copies of the testimonies given by the Brigade General of the Army, Willy Chirinos Chirinos, in cases 157-V-93 and 227-V-94, whereby he denied to have furnished the information upon which General Robles grounded his statements. With the same purpose, the State submitted a graphology expert report issued by the Direción de Criminalística de la Policía Nacional (Board of Criminalistics of the Peruvian Police), where the conclusion reached was that the document by means of which General Chirinos gave information to General Robles had not been personally drawn by the former. Besides, in order to prove the untruthfulness of the statements made by General Rodolfo Robles Espinoza, the State offered Brigade General Raúl Talledo-Valdivieso and FAP Co. José Alberto Balarzo-La Riva as witnesses. Their statements were taken at the hearing dated March 6, 2000, held by the commission within during its 106^th term of sessions.

25Pursuant to the Final Report of the CVR: “The so-called “Colina Group”, composed of members of the Army, is probably one of the groups specialized in forced disappearances and arbitrary excutions most widely known […] In 1991, top militay and political authorities ordered the officers of the intelligence operations division (AIO) belonging to the Servicio de Inteligencia del Ejército (SIE) (Army Intelligence Service) to create a squad reporting to the structure of the Dirección de Inteligencia del Ejército Perúano (DINTE), which was then known as «Colina Detachment». This group was in charge of operations especially designed to eliminate alleged subversives, sympathizers or collaborators of subversive organizations." Cf. Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, 2003, Volume VI, Fourth Section, 1(3) "Arbitrary executions and massacres by State agents," p. 154.

26 Cf. Order that dismissed the petition of habeas corpus filed by Jaime Oyague-Velazco (record of appendixes to the petition, appendix 65); order that dismiss the petition of habeas corpus filed with the Eleventh Criminal Court by Andrés Adolfo Calderón-Mendoza, lawyer of the Head of the UNE, on July 24, 1992 (record of appendixes to the petition, appendix 12(n), page 132.)

27 Cf. Ruling of August 5, 1992 (record of appendixes to the application, appendix 65, pp, 1968 to 1974).

28 Cf. Ruling of February 24, 1993 (record of appendixes to the application, appendix 65, p. 1966).

29 Cf. Ruling of August 5, 1992 (record of appendixes to the application, appendix 12(q), pp. 140 and 141)

30Cf. Ruling of September 8, 1992 (record of record of appendixes to the application, appendix 16(e), p. 488)

31Cf. Ruling of November 13, 1992 (record of appendixes to the application, appendix 12(p), pp. 135 to 139)

32Cf. Complaint filed by Antonia Pérez-Velásquez with the Fiscalía Especial de Defensoría del Pueblo y Derechos Humanos (Special Prosecutor´s Office of the People´s Ombudsman and Human Rights) on July 21, 1992 (record of appendixes to the application, appendix 12(h), p. 122).

33 Cf. Resolution of November 30, issued by 5th Criminal Prosecutor´s Office (record of appendixes to the application, appendix 24(cc), p. 895).

34 Cf. Affidavit signed by José Esteban Oyague-Velazco on September 8, 2006 (record of affidavits, folio 3480).

35Cf. Affidavit executed by Víctor Cubas-Villanueva on September 8, 2006 (record of affidavits, page 3457.)

36 Cf. filing of the criminal complaint by the Specialized Provincial Prosecutor with the Special Criminal Court (record of Appendixes to the Application, Appendix 40.h, page 1454).

37Namely, Brigade General Juan Rivero-Lazo, Colonel Federico Navarro-Pérez, Colonel Lt. Manuel Guzmán-Calderón, Mayors Santiago Martín-Rivas and Carlos Eliseo Pichilingue-Guevara, Lts. Aquilino Portella-Núñez and José Adolfo Velarde-Astete.

38 Cf. Legal opinion of Government Attorney Víctor Cubas-Villanueva of January 17, 1994 (record of Appendixes to Application, Appendix 15.b, pp. 418-21), and resolution of January 18, 1994 passed by Criminal Court Judge Carlos Magno-Chacón (record of Appendixes to Application, Appendix 15(c), pp. 422-3).

39Cf. Judgment rendered by the War Chamber of the Supreme Council of Military Justice on February 21, 1994, as part of the Appendixes to the Note of State No. 7-5-M/299, dated June 16, 2000 (record of Appendixes to the Application, Appendix 31(d), pp. 1126-7).

40 Cf. Judgment of May 18, 1994, passed by the Supreme Council of Military Justice (record of Appendixes to the application, Appendix 17.d, pp. 621-3).

41 Cf. Document dated February 1996 by the Permanent Representation of Perú before the OAS (record of Appendixes to the application, Appendix 18, pp. 671-2), and acknowledgement of receipt of payment of civil reparation (record of Appendixes to the State’s written closing pleadings, pp. 3845-914).

42Cf. Testimony of Ms. Antonia Pérez-Velazquez before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights during the public hearing held on September 29, 2006.

43Cf. Discontinuance decision of August 18, 1994, rendered by the Review Chamber of the Supreme Council of Military Justice (record of Appendixes to application, Appendix 21.e, pp. 752-8).

44 Cf. Judgment dated October 16, 2001, of the Supreme Council of Military Justice declaring “null and void the Supreme Court Judgment of June 16, 1995, in full, whereby it was decided to grant Amnesty” to said persons (record of appendixes to application, Appendix 43(l), page 1687).

45Cf. Judgment of October 16, 2001, rendered by the Supreme Council of Military Justice, a copy of which has been added to the file held by the Commission (record of Appendixes to application, Appendix 43(l), pp. 1685-7).

46 Cf. Judgment of July 15, 2004, rendered by the Supreme Council of Military Justice (record of Appendixes to application, Appendix 43(k), p. 1682).

47 Cf. Judgment of July 15, 2004, rendered by the Supreme Council of Military Justice (record of Appendixes to application, Appendix 43(k), pp. 1683-4).

48 Cf. Request by the ad hoc State Attorney General’s Office for the filing of a criminal application against Vladimiro Montesinos-Torres, Nicolás de-Bari-Hermoza-Ríos and Luis Pérez-Documet, on the grounds of the crimes perpetrated at La Cantuta (record of Appendixes to application, Appendix 42(d), pp. 1568-9).

49 Cf. Request by the ad hoc State Attorney General’s Office for the filing of a criminal application against Vladimiro Montesinos-Torres, Nicolás de-Bari-Hermoza-Ríos and Luis Pérez-Documet, on the grounds of the crimes perpetrated at La Cantuta (record of Appendixes to application, Appendix 42(d), pp. 1569).

50 Cf. Request by the ad hoc State Attorney General’s Office to materialize a criminal application against Vladimiro Montesinos-Torres, Nicolás de-Bari-Hermoza-Ríos and Luis Pérez-Documet, on the grounds of the crimes perpetrated at La Cantuta (record of Appendixes to application, Appendix 42(d), pp 1569).

51Cf. Request by the ad hoc State Attorney General’s Office to materialize a criminal application against Vladimiro Montesinos-Torres, Nicolás de-Bari-Hermoza-Ríos and Luis Pérez-Documet, on the grounds of the crimes perpetrated at La Cantuta (record of Appendixes to application, Appendix 42(d), pp 1545).

52 Cf. Request by the ad hoc State Attorney General’s Office for a criminal application against Vladimiro Montesinos-Torres, Nicolás de-Bari-Hermoza-Ríos and Luis Pérez-Documet, on the grounds of the crimes perpetrated at La Cantuta (record of Appendixes to application, Appendix 42(d), pp 1621).

53 Cf. request by the ad hoc State Attorney General’s Office to materialize a criminal complaint against Vladimiro Montesinos-Torres, Nicolás de-Bari-Hermoza-Ríos and Luis Pérez-Documet, on the grounds of the crimes perpetrated at La Cantuta (record of Appendixes to application, Appendix 42(d), pp 1621).

54Namely, Divison General Guido Guevara-Guerra, Brigade General Raúl Talledo-Valdivieso, Mayor General Oscar Granthon-Stagnro, Rear Admiral Eduardo Reátegui Guzmán, Brigade General Luis Delgado-Arena, Brigade General Marco Rodríguez-Huerta, General Juan Fernando Vianderas-Ottone, Brigade General Luis Chacón-Tejada, Brigade General Miguel Montalbán-Avendaño, Brigade General Carlos Espinoza-Flores, General Héctor Cerpa-Bustamante, Mayor General Fernando Suyo-Hermosilla and General Eduardo Onofre-Tirado. Cf.

request by the ad hoc State Attorney General’s Office to materialize a criminal complaint against Vladimiro Montesinos-Torres, Nicolás de-Bari-Hermoza-Ríos and Luis Pérez-Documet, on the grounds of the crimes perpetrated at La Cantuta (record of Appendixes to application, Appendix 42(d), pp 1621-2).

55Namely, Aqulino Portella-Núñez, Héctor Gamarra-Mamani, José William Tena-Jacinto, Pablo Andrés Atuncar-Cama, Gabriel Orlando Vera-Navarrete, Jorge Enrique Ortiz-Mantas, Fernando Lecca-Esquén, Hércules Gómez-Casanova, Wilmer Yarleque-Ordinola, Ángel Felipe Sauñi-Pomoya, Rolando Javier Meneses-Montes-de-ca, Haydee Magda Terrazas-Arroyo, Luz Iris Chumpitaz-Mendoza, José Concepción Alarcón-Gonzáles, Hugo Francisco Coral-Goicochea, Carlos Luis Caballero-Zegarra-Ballon, Isaac Paquillauri-Hauytalla y Víctor Manuel Hinojosa-Sopla.

56Namely, Julio Rolando Salazar-Monroe, Víctor Raúl Silva-Mendoza, Carlos Indacochea-Ballon, Alberto Segundo Pinto-Cárdenas, Luis Cubas-Portal, Enrique Oswaldo-Oliveros, Julio Alberto Rodríguez-Córdova, and Carlos Miranda-Balarezo.

57Cf. Materialization of criminal complaint filed by the Provincial Specialized Prosecutor’s Office (record of Appendixes to application, Appendix 38(k), pp 1398-412).

58 Namely, Aquilino Portella-Núñez, Héctor Gamarra-Mamani, José William Tena-Jacinto, Pablo Andrés Atuncar-Cama, Gabriel Orlando Vera-Navarrete, Jorge Enrique Ortiz-Mantas, Fernando Lecca-Esquen, Hércules Gómez-Casanova, Wilmer Yarleque-Ordinola, Ángel Sauñi-Pomaya, Rolando Javier Meneses-de-Oca, Haydee Magda Terrazas-Arroyo, Luz Iris Cumpitaz-Mendoza, José Alarcón-González, Hugo Francisco Coral-Goycochea, Carlos Luis Caballero-Zegarra-Ballón, Isaac Paquillauri-Huaytalla, and Víctor Hinojosa-Sopla.

59 Namely, Julio Rolando Salazar-Moroe, Víctor Raúl Silva-Mendoza, Carlos Indacochea-Ballón, Alberto Pinto-Cárdenas, Luis Cubas-Portal, Enrique Osvaldo Oliveros-Pérez, Carlos Miranda-Balarezo, and Julio Rodríguez-Córdova.