IACHR
Press Release
IACHR Grants Precautionary Measures in Favor of Maury Carolina Carrero Mendoza in Venezuela
July 21, 2020
Washington, D.C. - The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) issued Resolution 36/2020 on July 17, 2020, to grant precautionary protection measures in favor of Maury Carolina Carrero Mendoza in Venezuela, in the belief that she faces a serious, urgent risk of suffering irreparable damage to her rights. According to the request for these precautionary measures, Ms. Carrero Mendoza was arrested by officers of the State in April 2020 and her whereabouts and fate remain unknown since then.
In keeping with Article 25 of its Rules of Procedure and with the Inter-American Convention on Forced Disappearance of Persons, the Commission asked the State of Venezuela for information. After assessing the legal and factual allegations made in the request for these precautionary measures, the Commission considers that—based on the standards that are applicable prima facie—Ms. Carrero Mendoza faces a situation of grave and urgent risk, since her rights to life and personal integrity risk suffering irreparable damage. The Commission therefore asks the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to take the following action: (a) adopt any measures necessary to protect Ms. Carrero Mendoza’s rights to life and personal integrity (and, in particular, report on whether the beneficiary is in State custody and on her circumstances, or on any measures in place to establish her fate or whereabouts); and (b) take any action required to investigate the events that led to the adoption of these precautionary measures, in order to prevent similar events from happening again in the future.
The fact that precautionary measures have been granted and their adoption by the State do not entail a prejudgment concerning a potential violation of rights protected by the applicable instruments.
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. 170/20