IACHR grants precautionary measures in favor of Irvin Quintanilla in El Salvador

October 3, 2025

Washington, DC—The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) issued Resolution 69/2025 on October 2, 2025, to grant precautionary measures in favor of Irvin Jeovanny Quintanilla García in El Salvador, in the belief that he faces a serious, urgent risk of suffering irreparable harm to his rights.

According to the request for these precautionary measures, the beneficiary was deported on March 15, 2025, from the United States to El Salvador, and his fate and whereabouts have been unknown since then. Despite the various complaints that have been formally filed and the search requests submitted to State authorities by the beneficiary’s family and legal representatives, no information has been provided about Quintanilla García’s current location and condition.

The State reported on various actions and coordination efforts made to locate the beneficiary. The State noted that records at the General Department of Migration, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the General Department of Penitentiaries, and the National Civilian Police had all been checked and that there were no records of Quintanilla García having entered Salvadoran territory.

The State further noted that an investigation had been launched into Quintanilla García’s disappearance. The Public Prosecutor’s Office asked the National Civilian Police to take thorough measures, including interviews with the beneficiary’s family, a social media review, and inquiries with various institutions. The State said that these efforts showed it had acted with due diligence to establish the beneficiary’s whereabouts, although it alleged that the fact that Quintanilla García might have gone missing was not the State’s responsibility.

When assessing this request for precautionary measures, the IACHR took into consideration the allegations in the broader context in El Salvador. The IACHR noted the State’s stated commitment in this case and the measures it had taken through various institutions, as well as the investigation that was ongoing concerning the beneficiary’s disappearance. However, the IACHR noted with concern that, more than six months after Quintanilla García went missing, his whereabouts remained unknown and no information had been provided to establish what might have happened to him. The IACHR finds that time may make it increasingly difficult to locate the beneficiary and risks having a greater impact on his rights to life and personal integrity.

The IACHR therefore believes that all additional measures necessary to establish Quintanilla García’s fate and whereabouts should be taken now. Consequently, in keeping with Article 25 of its Rules of Procedure, the IACHR asked the State of El Salvador to take the following action:

1. Adopt any immediate measures necessary to establish Quintanilla García’s condition and report on his whereabouts to the IACHR and to the beneficiary’s family and legal counsel, in order to protect his rights to life and personal integrity
2. Come to an agreement with the beneficiary’s representatives concerning any measures that need to be taken
3. Report on any action taken to investigate the alleged events that gave rise to the adoption of these precautionary measures, in order to prevent such events from happening again in the future

The fact that these precautionary measures have been granted and their adoption by the State do not entail a prejudgment on a potential petition that may be filed before the inter-American system to allege violations of rights protected by the American Convention on Human Rights and other applicable instruments.

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. 200/25

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