IV Inter-American System
| Published date | 01 September 2005 |
| DOI | 10.1177/016934410502300309 |
| Date | 01 September 2005 |
| Author | Diego Rodríguez-Pinzón |
| Subject Matter | Part B: Human Rights News |
IV INTER-AMERICAN SYSTEM
DIEGO RODRI
´GUEZ-PINZO
´N
1. INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR or Commission) has
recently released its 2004 Annual Report, and the General Assembly of the
Organization of American States (OAS) in Fort Lauderdale, USA, adopted the
Report in June 2005. During 2004, the Commission discharged its mandate by
reviewing and processing individual cases, closely monitoring the general human
rights situation in several States of the region and performing other activities such as
on site visits to countries. Below we will highlight some of the most relevant – and not
always well-known – activities of the Commission during 2004.
Overall, it is important to indicate that in January 2004, the Commission met for
the first time with its four new members, Commissioners Evelio Ferna´ndez Are´valos,
Freddy Gutie´rrez, Florentı´n Mele´ndez and Paulo Se´ rgio Pinheiro, who were elected
during the regular session of the General Assembly of the OAS in June 2003 and
began their terms on 1 January 2004. These Commissioners joined Jose´ Zalaquett,
Clare K. Roberts, and Susana Villara´n.
The latest development regarding the integration of the seven-member
Commission occurred during the OAS General Assembly in June 2005. The
Member States of the OAS voted to elect two new members and reelect one more to
the Commission. Argentinean Vı´ctor E. Abramovich Cosarı´n and Paolo Carozza of
the United States are the two new members elected to the Commission. Current
President, Clare K. Roberts, of Antigua and Barbuda, was re-elected for four more
years. Outgoing Commissioners are Jose´ Zalaquett and Susana Villara´n. The new
Commissioners will join this body on 1 January 2005.
Special Report and Country Visits
One of the most important and effective powers that the Commission has is the
possibility to undertake site visits to countries and to issue Special Reports regarding
those visits. Following are the activities in this area during 2004.
On 18 March 2004 the IACHR released its Report on Venezuela covering the
administration of justice, the role of the armed forces and police, the state of
freedom of expression and the consequences of political polarisation in Venezuela.
The report was based on a visit to Venezuela in May 2002. It constitutes a very
important official account of the current human rights situation in that country.
Among the visits made by the Commission in 2004, we can mention the
following:
.In February, Executive Secretary Santiago Canto´n, visited Bolivia following the
request of the Executive Branch that the IACHR assist with the investigation of
the events of October 2003 and to prepare the next visit by the Commission.
Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights, Vol. 23/3 (2005) 461
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