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Inter-American Court of Human Rights

International and Supranational Courts and Tribunals

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights is the judicial arm of the Organization of American States' human rights system, established by the American Convention on Human Rights, which was adopted in 1969 and entered into force in 1978. The Court itself began hearing cases in 1979 and sits in San Jose, Costa Rica. It hears contentious cases referred to it by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights or by a state party, and issues advisory opinions on the interpretation of the Convention and other human rights instruments at the request of OAS member states or organs. Its jurisdiction binds only the states that have separately accepted it, which as of this entry excludes several OAS members, including the United States and Canada, who are members of the OAS and subject to the Inter-American Commission's review but have not accepted the Court's binding contentious jurisdiction. The Court has developed an influential body of doctrine on forced disappearance, reparations, and the concept of control de convencionalidad, under which domestic courts across the region are expected to interpret national law consistently with the Convention as the Inter-American Court has read it.

Facts
Founding Year
1979 1
Seat
San Jose, Costa Rica 1
Jurisdiction Scope
Interpretation and enforcement of the American Convention on Human Rights among the OAS member states that have accepted its binding jurisdiction 1
Jurisdiction Scope
Jurisdiction Scope (category)
International / Supranational 1
Connections

Associated With

Decided

Decided by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, 2001.

Decided by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, 1988.

Has Member

Source Ant?nio Augusto Can?ado Trindade (Wikipedia)
Source Cecilia Medina (Wikipedia)
Source Wikipedia: Diego García-Sayán
Source Eduardo Vio Grossi (Wikipedia)
Source Elizabeth Odio Benito - Wikipedia
Source Ra?l Zaffaroni (Wikipedia)
Source Wikidata: Héctor Fix-Zamudio
Source H?ctor Gros Espiell (Wikipedia)
Source Wikipedia: Inter-American Court of Human Rights
Source Wikipedia: Inter-American Court of Human Rights
Source Wikipedia: Inter-American Court of Human Rights
Source Patricia P?rez Goldberg (Wikipedia)
Source Ricardo Pérez Manrique (Wikipedia)
Source Rodrigo Mudrovitsch (Wikipedia)
Source Sergio García Ramírez (Wikipedia)
Source Wikipedia: Inter-American Court of Human Rights
In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Inter-American Court of Human Rights Official Website
Wikipedia: Inter-American Court of Human Rights
  • Lead section, first sentence
    The Inter-American Court of Human Rights (I/A Court H.R.) is an international court based in San José, Costa Rica.
  • Lead section, second sentence
    Together with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, it was formed by the American Convention on Human Rights, a human rights treaty ratified by members of the Organization of American States (OAS).
  • Has Member: Nancy Hernandez Lopez, Judges listed in the article: Nancy Hernández López
  • Has Member: Veronica Gomez, Judges listed in the article: Verónica Gómez
  • Has Member: Humberto Sierra Porto, Judges listed in the article: Humberto Sierra Porto
  • Has Member: Manuel Ventura Robles, Judges listed in the article: Manuel Ventura Robles
View the Source
Wikidata: Inter-American Court of Human Rights
Wikidata Q1547804, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
Wikipedia: Diego García-Sayán
Has Member: Diego Garcia-Sayan, Lead section
Quote, Has Member: Diego Garcia-Sayan, Lead section
He sat as judge of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, and was president of the Court between 2010 and 2012.
View the Source
Elizabeth Odio Benito - Wikipedia
Has Member: Elizabeth Odio Benito, Lead section
Quote, Has Member: Elizabeth Odio Benito, Lead section
Elizabeth Odio Benito (born 15 September 1939) is a Costa Rican jurist, academic and politician who served as President of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights from 2020 to 2021 and as Second Vice President of Costa Rica from 1998 to 2002.
View the Source
Ant?nio Augusto Can?ado Trindade (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Member: Antonio Augusto Cancado Trindade, Lead section
Quote, Has Member: Antonio Augusto Cancado Trindade, Lead section
Before joining the ICJ, Cançado Trindade was a judge of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights from 1994 to 2006.
View the Source
H?ctor Gros Espiell (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Member: Hector Gros Espiell, Lead section
Quote, Has Member: Hector Gros Espiell, Lead section
He also served as judge of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
View the Source
Ricardo Pérez Manrique (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Member: Ricardo Perez Manrique, Lead section
Quote, Has Member: Ricardo Perez Manrique, Lead section
Ricardo Pérez Manrique (born 17 May 1947) is a Uruguayan lawyer and judge who has been serving as the President of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights since January 2022.
View the Source
Rodrigo Mudrovitsch (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Member: Rodrigo Mudrovitsch, Lead section
Quote, Has Member: Rodrigo Mudrovitsch, Lead section
Elected one of the seven judges of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, he serves as Vice President during the 2024-2025 biennium.
View the Source
Patricia P?rez Goldberg (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Member: Patricia Perez Goldberg, Lead section
Quote, Has Member: Patricia Perez Goldberg, Lead section
From 2016, she has served as a judge at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
View the Source
Sergio García Ramírez (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Member: Sergio Garcia Ramirez, Lead section
Quote, Has Member: Sergio Garcia Ramirez, Lead section
Sergio García Ramírez (1 February 1938-10 January 2024) was a Mexican jurist and politician who served as a judge at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights from 1997 to 2009.
View the Source
Ra?l Zaffaroni (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Member: Eugenio Raul Zaffaroni, Lead section
Quote, Has Member: Eugenio Raul Zaffaroni, Lead section
He subsequently served in the Inter-American Court of Human Rights from 2016 to 2022.
View the Source
Eduardo Vio Grossi (Wikipedia)
Has Member: Eduardo Vio Grossi, Lead section
Quote, Has Member: Eduardo Vio Grossi, Lead section
He served on the Inter-American Court of Human Rights from 2010 to 2021.
View the Source
Wikidata: Héctor Fix-Zamudio
Has Member: Hector Fix-Zamudio, Wikipedia category: Inter-American Court of Human Rights judgesView the Source
Cecilia Medina (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Member: Cecilia Medina Quiroga, Wikipedia category: cat:Inter-American Court of Human Rights judgesView the Source
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