IACHR requests from Inter-American Court provisional measures in favor of Jorge Glas in Ecuador

July 1, 2025

Washington, DC—The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) asked the Inter-American Court of Human Rights on July 1, 2025, to grant provisional measures in favor of Jorge David Glas Espinel in Ecuador, in the belief that he faces an extremely serious and urgent risk of suffering irreparable harm to his rights to life, personal integrity, and health.

Former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas is currently deprived of liberty at the Guayas 3 penitentiary facility in Guayaquil.

The IACHR granted precautionary measures in his favor on December 31, 2019. After assessing the available reports, data, and documents and the parties' demands over the period April 2024–February 2025, the IACHR issued Follow-up and extension resolution 13/2025 on February 10, 2025, to ask the State to take immediate measures to safeguard Glas' life, health, and integrity. This request was based on Glas' medical diagnosis and on a self-harm attempt on April 7, 2024, as well as on the impact that security measures and conditions of detention at the Guayas 3 penitentiary facility had had on Glas' mental health, verified by the IACHR in an on-site visit in October 2024 and in the available medical documents.

Among other measures required from the State, the IACHR listed the following: immediately sending the beneficiary to hospital for a comprehensive medical evaluation; transferring him to a detention facility (different from Guayas 3) that meets standards suitable for his current health condition; relaunching the technical roundtable including doctors trusted by the beneficiary to resolve medical disputes and enable adequate care; enabling timely access to the beneficiary's medical details; and further pursuing adequate judicial investigations into the events that gave rise to the adoption of precautionary measures in Glas' favor.

Following the IACHR resolution of February 2025 and its assessment of the information that was provided by the parties, the IACHR found that Glas meets the criterion of facing an extremely serious and urgent risk of suffering irreparable harm to his rights, as required by Article 63.2 of the American Convention.

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights grants provisional measures in extremely serious and urgent cases, to prevent irreparable harm to individuals. Provisional measures are mandatory for States, and the decisions they hold require that States adopt specific actions to protect the rights and/or lives of the individuals who are at risk.

The IACHR is an autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS) whose mandate is based on the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. Its mission is to promote and defend human rights throughout the Americas and to serve as an advisory body to the OAS in this area. The IACHR consists of seven independent members elected by the OAS General Assembly who serve in a personal capacity and do not represent their countries of origin or residence.

No. 133/25

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