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ECUADOR
CASE N° EC/02 - JAIME RICAURTE HURTADO GONZÁLEZ
CASE N° EC/03 - PABLO VICENTE TAPIA FARINANGO
Resolution adopted unanimously by the Governing Council
at its 176th session (Manila, 8th April 2005)


The Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,

Referring to the case of Mr. Jaime Ricaurte Hurtado González and Mr. Pablo Vicente Tapia Farinango, a member and substitute member, respectively, of the National Congress of Ecuador who were murdered on 17 February 1999, as outlined in the report of the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians (CL/176/13(b)-R.1), and to the resolution adopted at its 175th session (October 2004),

Recalling the following information on file:

  • Mr. Hurtado and Mr. Tapia were shot dead on 17 February 1999; in August 2000, three men were sentenced to six years' imprisonment for criminal association for their participation in the murder as accessories; they were released in early 2001; however, at the conclusion of the preliminary investigation in July 2002, two of them, Mr. Aguirre and Mr. Ponce were accused of having, together with three others, perpetrated the murder, but subsequently failed to appear before the investigating judge; in October 2003, the indictment was amended to include another person, Freddy Contreras, who at the time was serving a prison sentence for another crime, as the sixth perpetrator of the murder, and the judge declared open the plenary stage of the trial; however, appeals against this decision were pending;

  • Shortly after the murder, the Government set up a Special Commission of Inquiry (CEI) to assist the investigation; it has gathered a wealth of evidence on the basis of which it criticised the conclusions of the investigation; on 22 February 2002, the day after its adviser, Mr. Andocilla, submitted the CEI's report to Congress, he was kidnapped, beaten up and left unconscious; an investigation is under way which had not as yet revealed whether the attack is related to Mr. Andocilla's presentation of the CEI's report; moreover, there were reports indicating that the current Government may reduce financial support for the CEI,
Considering that no new information has been conveyed to the Committee,
  1. Remains deeply concerned at the possibility that suspects may have absconded and may be no longer available for the judicial process; wishes to ascertain the current situation; also wishes to ascertain whether Mr. Contreras is still in detention;

  2. Wishes further to ascertain whether the appeals lodged by the parties concerned have meanwhile been decided upon and, if so, the outcome and the current stage of proceedings;

  3. Reiterates finally its desire to ascertain whether further progress has been made in the investigation into the attack on Mr. Andocilla, including the possibility of a link between that incident and his CEI work;

  4. Earnestly hopes that the Ecuadorian Parliament is continuing to monitor this case, and would appreciate information as to any action it may have taken to this end;

  5. Requests the Secretary General to convey this resolution to the competent authorities and to the CEI, inviting them to provide the requested information;

  6. Requests the Committee to continue examining this case and report to it at its next session, to be held on the occasion of the 113th IPU Assembly (October 2005).

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