IACHR
Press Release
IACHR Announces Special Group to Strengthen the Monitoring of Precautionary Measures in force
April 16, 2020
Washington, D.C. - The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) passed Resolution 2/2020 on April 15, 2020, to strengthen the follow-up process of the precautionary measures in force, which are adopted in accordance with Article 25 of the Rules of Procedure. The IACHR aims to guarantee an efficient follow up of the implementation of the precautionary measures granted, as well as their periodic assessment. To this effect, and in order to comply with the Commission’s decision, the Executive Secretariat will deploy a special internal group within the Precautionary Measures Section for the monitoring of the measures in force.
The Executive Secretariat will adopt a working methodology that will enable the IACHR to guarantee the regular assessment of the precautionary measures in force, both in regard to the appropriateness and effectiveness of the protection measures taken by the States, and to whether the matter continues to show compliance with the procedural requirements. Therefore, the IACHR will be able to focus on matters that, due to the prevalence of the risk, under the terms of Article 25, require its duly attention. It will also allow the IACHR to issue Resolutions to Lift precautionary measures when deemed appropriate.
The Resolution approved also sets out the possibility of issuing Follow-up Resolutions on precautionary measures in force that merit a pronouncement by the IACHR to encourage the implementation of such measures, and shall include assessing the actions implemented by the States and accompanying the parties in the process.
These efforts are part of a process led by the IACHR and its Executive Secretariat since the implementation of its current Strategic Plan and aimed at ensuring the efficiency and correct management of its protection mechanisms. In this regard, it has created a specific administrative group to manage precautionary measures, and it has modified and rearranged working protocols in order to speed-up and categorize the system of assessment and consultation of each request. In May 2018, Resolution 3/2018 on the “Strengthening of the processing of requests for precautionary measures” was passed in order to issue diligent and timely responses in urgent situations of irreparable harm.
The Resolution 2/2020 that is now presented seeks to guide the follow-up process of the implementation of precautionary measures granted by assessing the actions taken by the State to protect the rights of the beneficiaries. Moreover, it is part of the Commission’s commitment to the States, the beneficiaries and their representatives to strengthen the monitoring of the precautionary measures in force, as well as to promote the transparency, predictability, and legal certainty of the decisions.
A principal, autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), the IACHR derives its mandate from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission has a mandate to promote respect for and to defend human rights in the region and acts as a consultative body to the OAS in this area. The Commission is composed of seven independent members who are elected in an individual capacity by the OAS General Assembly and who do not represent their countries of origin or residence.
No. 075/20