Press Release
IACHR completes 193rd period of sessions with 19 public hearings on human rights
July 31, 2025
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Washington, DC—The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) completed its 193rd period of sessions, which was held virtually over the period July 14–25 and featured 19 public hearings about human rights issues around the Americas.
The IACHR would like to thank all States, civil society organizations, victims, and families who took part in the six working meetings about precautionary measures (concerning Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, and Mexico) and in public hearings and who provided up-to-cate information about the topics that are listed below. The IACHR is sorry that the State of El Salvador failed to take part in the hearing about that country.
The Inter-American Commission stresses that, based on Article 63 of its Rules of Procedure, States have an obligation to guarantee the safety of all individuals who attended any of the 19 public hearings in this period of sessions and to refrain from retaliating for comments made in this framework.
1. Argentina: Use of pretrial detention in the province of Córdoba
2. Bolivia: Situation concerning the sexual and reproductive rights of girls and
adolescents
3. Brazil: Situation concerning policies on memory, truth, and justice
4. Colombia: Impact of violence against trans women
5. Colombia: Case 13,147—Ricaurte Losada Valderrama
6. Ecuador: Disappearances in the context of the militarization of public
security
7. El Salvador: Consequences for human rights defenders of the closure of civic
platforms
8. United States: Situation concerning the human rights of migrants, refugees,
and asylum seekers
9. Guatemala: Situation of human rights defenders and judicial officers
10. Haiti: Situation concerning violence, organized crime, and the lack of
public security
11. Nicaragua: New trends in repression
12. Peru: Impact of legislation to change the creation of the Peruvian
International Cooperation Agency
13. Dominican Republic: Shutdown of civic space and its impact on human rights
14. Venezuela: Attacks against human rights defenders
15. Regional: Methane reduction and recyclers: Economic, social, cultural, and
environmental rights and climate emergency (ex-officio hearing)
16. Regional: Impact of penitentiary policies on children and adolescents with
imprisoned relatives
17. Regional: Situation of children and adolescents who are human rights
defenders
18. Regional: Challenges for justice systems in investigations of organized
crime
19. Regional: Impact of extractive industries on the rights of indigenous
peoples
This press release is accompanied by an annex containing summaries of all the public hearings held. Videos of public hearings are available on the IACHR’s YouTube channel and on https://www.oas.org/en/iachr/default.asp.
During this period of sessions, the IACHR approved Resolution 1/25, to extend to his whole mandate the exemption that had previously been requested by and granted to Commissioner Carlos Bernal Pulido, allowing him not to get involved in matters concerning Peru. This decision seeks to safeguard perceptions of the inter-American system as an impartial, trusted institution, given that the State of Peru has proposed Pulido to be a member of the IACHR over the period 2026–2029. This resolution, and the votes that led to its approval, is set to be published in a timely manner, in keeping with Article 19 of the IACHR’s Rules of Procedure.
The IACHR also approved Resolution 2/25, recognizing the impact on the rights of relatives and loves ones of individuals who are deprived of liberty. The IACHR calls on States to take measures based on the principles of equality and non-discrimination, on protecting family ties, and on the implementation of approaches that reflect individual needs.
The IACHR assessed merits reports about the implementation of Resolution 4/23, Prioritization Policy for Petitions and Cases, and approved seven cases addressing urgent, structural, or circumstantial matters, as well as the development of inter-American public order. These reports had the following themes: the impact on children’s best interests, given that their family ties are at risk; the “extrajudicial transfer” of individuals to other countries; States’ obligations concerning displacement; the rights of adolescents in socio-educational care facilities; and restrictions of political rights for individuals in elected positions.
In order to discuss institutional priorities and the situation of human
rights in the Americas, the IACHR held meetings with representatives of 29
States, divided into four regional groups: North America, Central America, South
America, and the Caribbean.
Representatives of the US network Bringing Human Rights Home talked to the IACHR
and provided information about the situation of human rights in that country.
The IACHR met with the Lima Bar Association and members of the latter’s Board
provided information about judicial independence and democratic institutions in
Peru.
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.
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