Abstract

The Inter-American Human Rights System has become a central mechanism in the struggle against impunity in the Americas. Although conceived as a safeguard for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, it has been repeatedly tested by periods of authoritarianism, large-scale repression, and entrenched structural violence. What began as an effort to document massive violations under military dictatorships has evolved into a sophisticated jurisprudential framework capable of confronting complex forms of impunity that persist even within democratic transitions.

Early work of the Inter-American Commission—through in loco visits and country reports—laid the foundation for later Court decisions that established states’ duties to investigate, prosecute, and remedy serious human rights violations. Over time, the Inter-American Court has expanded these duties, addressing issues such as the inadmissibility of amnesties, inter-State judicial cooperation, systemic criminality, and the discriminatory roots of certain forms of violence. By examining these developments, the chapter* written by Dr Parra Vera provides an informed and nuanced assessment of how inter-American jurisprudence has both shaped and been shaped by the continuing struggle to secure accountability across the region.

*Vera, Oscar Parra, 'Impact of the Inter-American Human Rights System in the Struggle against Impunity', in Armin von Bogdandy, and others (eds), The Impact of the Inter-American Human Rights System: Transformations on the Ground (New York, 2024; online edn, Oxford Academic, 22 Feb. 2024),  https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780197744161.003.0023

Speaker: Dr Oscar Parra Vera

Oscar Parra Vera is a Judge in the Special Jurisdiction for Peace in Colombia. He holds a master’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Oxford and a Master of Laws degree from Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Previously, he was a Senior Attorney at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights from 2006-2015, where he assisted the Court’s judges in drafting decisions and advisory opinions. Combined with his vast teaching experience, Dr. Vera Parra also possesses considerable knowledge about the Inter-American Court’s impact on impunity and accountability.

Chair: Caroline Silva

Discussant: Dilek Kurban