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{{short description|Autonomous judicial institution }}
{{Coord|9|55|49.58|N|84|3|24.98|W|display=title}}{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox high court
| court_name = Inter-American Court of Human Rights
| native_name = {{native name|es|Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos}}<br/>{{native name|pt|Corte Interamericana de Direitos Humanos}}<br/>{{native name|fr|Cour interaméricaine des droits de l'homme}}
| image = Seal of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.svg
| imagesize = 200
| caption = 
| motto = 
| established = {{start date text|22 May 1979}}
| jurisdiction = [[The Americas]]
| location = [[San José, Costa Rica]]
| coordinates = 
| type = 
| authority = [[American Convention on Human Rights]]<br/>Statute of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights
| appeals = 
| terms = Six years
| positions = Seven
| website = https://www.corteidh.or.cr/index.cfm?lang=en
| chiefjudgetitle = President<!-- title of the top judge such as chief justice/senior judge -->
| chiefjudgename = [[Nancy Hernández López]]
| termstart = 2024
| termend = 
| termend2 = 
| chiefjudgetitle2 = Vice-President<!-- title of the second top judge if applicable-->
| chiefjudgename2 = Rodrigo Mudrovitsch
| termstart2 = 2024
| termend3 = 
| termend4 = 
}}
The '''Inter-American Court of Human Rights''' ('''I/A Court H.R.''') is an [[international court]] based in [[San José, Costa Rica]]. Together with the [[Inter-American Commission on Human Rights]], it was formed by the [[American Convention on Human Rights]], a [[Human rights treaty bodies|human rights treaty]] ratified by members of the [[Organization of American States]] (OAS).

Pursuant to American Convention, the Inter-American Court works with the Inter-American Commission to uphold and promote basic rights and freedoms. It has jurisdiction within around 20 of the 35 member states in the American continent that have taken steps to accede to its authority, the vast majority in Latin America.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.corteidh.or.cr/que_es_la_corte.cfm?lang=en#collapse1-3 |url-access= |title=Inter-American Human Rights System - Which States are part of the American Convention? |author=Staff writer |date= |department= |website=www.corteidh.or.cr |series= |publisher=Inter-American Court of Human Rights. |agency= |location= |type= |format= |access-date=May 8, 2023 |url-status= |archive-url= |archive-date= |quote=The States that have ratified the American Convention are: Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, and Uruguay.}}</ref> The court adjudicates claims of human rights violations by governments, and issues advisory opinions on interpretations of certain legal matters.<ref name=":0" /> Twenty-nine OAS members are also members of the wider-scale [[International Criminal Court]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Evenson |first1=Elizabeth |last2=Pizano |first2=Pedro |date=20 March 2018 |title=OAS Members Voice Support for International Criminal Court |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/20/oas-members-voice-support-international-criminal-court |url-status= |department=Dispatches |agency=[[Human Rights Watch]] |access-date=8 June 2021 |url-access= }}</ref>

== Purpose and functions ==
[[File:IACHR members.png|thumb|Members of the I/A Court H.R.<br>Dark red – accept blanket jurisdiction of the court<br>Orange – signatories not accepting full jurisdiction<br>Yellow – former members]]
The Organization of American States established the Court in 1979 to enforce and interpret the provisions of the [[American Convention on Human Rights]]. Its two main functions are thus adjudicatory and advisory. Under the former, it hears and rules on the specific cases of [[human rights]] violations referred to it. Under the latter, it issues opinions on matters of legal interpretation brought to its attention by other OAS bodies or member states.

=== Adjudicatory function ===
The adjudicatory function requires the Court to rule on cases brought before it in which a state party to the convention, and thus has accepted its jurisdiction, is accused of a human rights violation.

In addition to ratifying the convention, a state party must voluntarily submit to the Court's jurisdiction for it to be competent to hear a case involving that state. Acceptance of contentious jurisdiction can be given on a blanket basis – to date, Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela and Uruguay have done so<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cidh.org/Basicos/English/Basic4.Amer.Conv.Ratif.htm|title=B-32: American Convention on Human Rights - Pact Of San Jose, Costa Rica|website=Inter-American Commission on Human Rights}}</ref> (though Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela have subsequently withdrawn) – or, alternatively, a state can agree to abide by the Court's jurisdiction in a specific, individual case.

Under the convention, cases can be referred to the Court by either the [[Inter-American Commission on Human Rights]] or a state party.  In contrast to the [[European Court of Human Rights|European human rights system]], individual citizens of the OAS member states are not allowed to take cases directly to the Court.

The following conditions must be met:
*Individuals who believe that their rights have been violated must first lodge a complaint with the commission and have that body rule on the admissibility of the claim.
*If the case is ruled admissible and the state deemed at fault, the commission will generally serve the state with a list of recommendations to make amends for the violation.
*Only if the state fails to abide by these recommendations, or if the Commission decides that the case is of particular importance or legal interest, will the case be referred to the Court.
*The presentation of a case before the Court can therefore be considered a measure of last resort, taken only after the commission has failed to resolve the matter in a non-contentious fashion.

Proceedings before the Court are divided into written and oral phases.

==== Written phase ====
In the written phase, the case application is filed, indicating the facts of the case, the plaintiffs, the evidence and witnesses the applicant plans to present at trial, and the claims for redress and costs.  If the application is ruled admissible by the Court's secretary, notice thereof is served on the judges, the state or the commission (depending on who lodged the application), the victims or their next-of-kin, the other member states, and OAS headquarters.

For 30 days following notification, any of the parties in the case may submit a [[brief (law)|brief]] containing preliminary objections to the application.
If it deems necessary, the Court can convene a hearing to deal with the preliminary objections.
Otherwise, in the interests of [[Judicial economy|procedural economy]], it can deal with the parties' preliminary objections and the merits of the case at the same hearing.

Within 60 days following notification, the respondent must supply a written answer to the application, stating whether it accepts or disputes the facts and claims it contains.

Once this answer has been submitted, any of the parties in the case may request the Court president's permission to lodge additional pleadings prior to the commencement of the oral phase.

==== Oral phase ====
The president sets the date for the start of oral proceedings, for which the Court is considered quorate with the presence of five judges.

During the oral phase, the judges may ask any question they see fit of any of the persons appearing before them. Witnesses, expert witnesses, and other persons admitted to the proceedings may, at the president's discretion, be questioned by the representatives of the commission or the state, or by the victims, their next-of-kin, or their agents, as applicable. The president is permitted to rule on the relevance of questions asked and to excuse the person asked the question from replying, unless overruled by the Court.

===Ruling===

After hearing the witnesses and experts and analyzing the evidence presented, the Court issues its judgment.
Its deliberations are conducted in private and, once the judgment has been adopted, it is notified to all the parties involved.
If the merits judgment does not cover the applicable reparations for the case, they must be determined at a separate hearing or through some other procedure as decided on by the Court.

The reparations the Court orders can be both monetary and non-monetary in nature. The most direct form of redress are cash compensation payments extended to the victims or their next-of-kin. However, the state can also be required to grant benefits in kind, to offer public recognition of its responsibility, to take steps to prevent similar violations occurring in the future, and other forms of non-monetary compensation.

For example, in its November 2001 judgment<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://hrlibrary.umn.edu/iachr/C/87-ing.html|title=Ser. C No. 87|website=hrlibrary.umn.edu|access-date=17 June 2019}}</ref> in the [[Barrios Altos massacre|Barrios Altos case]] – dealing with the massacre in [[Lima]], [[Peru]], of 15 people at the hands of the state-sponsored [[Colina Group]] [[death squad]] in November 1991 – the Court ordered payments of [[US$]]175,000 for the four survivors and for the next-of-kin of the murdered victims and a payment of $250,000 for the family of one of the victims.
It also required Peru:
* to grant the victims' families free health care and various forms of educational support, including scholarships and supplies of school uniforms, equipment, and books;
* to repeal two controversial amnesty laws;
* to establish the crime of [[extrajudicial killing]] in its domestic law;
* to ratify the [[International Convention on the Nonapplicability of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity]];
* to publish the Court's judgment in the national media;
* to publicly apologize for the incident and to undertake to prevent similar events from recurring in the future;
* and to erect a memorial monument to the victims of the massacre.

While the Court's decisions admit no appeal, parties can lodge requests for interpretation with the Court secretary within 90 days of judgment being issued. When possible, requests for interpretation are heard by the same panel of judges that ruled on the merits.

=== Advisory function ===

The Court's advisory function enables it to respond to consultations submitted by OAS agencies and member states regarding the interpretation of the convention or other instruments governing human rights in the Americas; it also empowers it to give advice on domestic laws and proposed legislation, and to clarify whether or not they are compatible with the convention's provisions. This advisory jurisdiction is available to all OAS member states, not only those that have ratified the convention and accepted the Court's adjudicatory function. The Court's replies to these consultations are published separately from its contentious judgments, as [[advisory opinion]]s.

==Ratification and membership==
The [[American Convention on Human Rights]] entered into force in 1978. All Latin American countries but Cuba are members, as are Suriname and a few Anglophone countries in the Caribbean.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.corteidh.or.cr/sitios/informes/docs/ENG/eng_2017.pdf |title=IACHR Annual Report 2017 |access-date=11 November 2023 }}</ref>

The following Latin American nation-builders were concerned to build the [[rule of law]]: [[Simón Bolívar]], [[Antonio José de Sucre]], [[Mariano Moreno]], [[Mariano Gálvez]], and [[Dionisio de Herrera]].<ref>{{cite book | author1= Mark Ungar |title=Elusive Reform: Democracy and the Rule of Law in Latin America |publisher= Lynne Rienner Publishers |year=2002 |page=6 |isbn=9781588260352 }}</ref>
 
[[Trinidad and Tobago]] signed the convention on 28 May 1991 but suspended its ratification on 26 May 1998 (effective 26 May 1999) over the [[death penalty]].

In 1999 under [[President of Peru|President]] [[Alberto Fujimori]] Peru announced it was withdrawing its acceptance of the Court's [[jurisdiction]]. This decision was reversed by the transitional government of [[Valentín Paniagua]] in 2001.

Venezuela withdrew from the convention in 2013 under the [[Nicolás Maduro]] government. On 15 May 2019, the [[National Assembly (Venezuela)|National Assembly]] (opposition Guaidó government) nullified the withdrawal.<ref>{{Cite book|chapter-url=https://www.hrw.org/es/world-report/2019/country-chapters/326042|title=Informe Mundial 2019: Tendencias de los derechos en &#91;node:title|chapter=Venezuela: Eventos de 2018|date=9 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.examenonuvenezuela.com/democracia-estado-de-derecho/reingreso-de-venezuela-a-la-jurisdiccion-de-corte-interamericana-de-derechos-humanos|title=Reingreso de Venezuela a la jurisdicción de Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos – Examen ONU Venezuela|date=3 June 2019|access-date=15 August 2019|archive-date=15 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190815203251/https://www.examenonuvenezuela.com/democracia-estado-de-derecho/reingreso-de-venezuela-a-la-jurisdiccion-de-corte-interamericana-de-derechos-humanos|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Dominican Republic stated in 2014 that it was withdrawing from the I/A Court H.R.,<ref>{{cite news |title=DR withdraws from IACHR |url=https://thenassauguardian.com/2014/11/17/drwithdraws-from-iachr/ |access-date=21 June 2018 |publisher=The Nassau Guardian |date=17 November 2014 |archive-date=11 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191111184529/https://thenassauguardian.com/2014/11/17/drwithdraws-from-iachr/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> the withdrawal would have come into effect the following year. However, the I/A Court H.R. notes that the withdrawal was never legally implemented,<ref>[http://www.oas.org/en/iachr/reports/pdfs/dominicanrepublic-2015.pdf Situation of Human Rights in the Dominican Republic] (see paragraphs 133–134 on page 70)</ref> and as of its 2017 annual report, the I/A Court H.R. still counted the Dominican Republic as a member.

The United States signed but never [[ratification|ratified]] the American Convention on Human Rights.

{| border="1" class="wikitable sortable" 
! State !! I/A Court H.R. Alone !! ICC Alone !! Both !! Ratification of<br>I/A Court H.R. convention !! Recognition<br>of jurisdiction!! Withdrawal
!Reinsertion
|-
|{{flag|Antigua and Barbuda}} || || * || || || ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Argentina}} || ||  || * || 1984 || 1984 ||
|
|-
|{{flag|The Bahamas}} || || || || || ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Barbados}} || || || * || 1981 || 2000 ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Belize}} || || * || || || ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Bolivia}} || || || * || 1979 ||1993 ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Brazil}} || || || * || 1992 || 1998 ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Canada}} || || * || || || ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Chile}} || || || * || 1990 || 1990 ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Colombia}} || || || * ||1973 ||1985 ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Costa Rica}} || || || * ||1970 ||1980 ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Cuba}} || || || || || ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Dominica}} || || || * || 1993 || ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Dominican Republic}} || || ?<ref name="ICC-DR ratification">{{cite web|url=https://asp.icc-cpi.int/en_menus/asp/states%20parties/latin%20american%20and%20caribbean%20states/Pages/latin%20american%20and%20caribbean%20states.aspx |title=Latin American and Caribbean State Parties to the Rome Statute, International Criminal Court. Retrieved 10 July 2021}}</ref> || ?<ref name="ICC-DR ratification"/> || 1978 || 1999 || ?<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jurist.org/news/2014/11/dominican-republic-leaves-inter-american-court-of-human-rights/ |url-access= |title=Dominican Republic leaves Inter-American Court of Human Rights |last=Morris |first=Addison |date=6 November 2014 |department= |website=jurist.org |agency=[[JURIST]] |language=en-US |access-date=27 May 2022 |url-status= }}</ref>
|
|-
|{{flag|Ecuador}} || || || * || 1977 || 1984 ||
|
|-
|{{flag|El Salvador}} || || || * || 1978 || 1995 ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Grenada}} || || || * || 1978 || ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Guatemala}} || || || * ||1978 ||1987 ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Guyana}} || || * || || || ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Haiti}} || * || || || 1977 || 1998 ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Honduras}} || || || * || 1977 || 1981 ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Jamaica}} || * || || || 1978 || ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Mexico}} || || || * || 1981 || 1998 ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Nicaragua}} || * || || || 1979 || 1991 ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Panama}} || || || * || 1978 || 1990 ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Paraguay}} || || || * || 1989 || 1993 ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Peru}} || || || * ||1978 ||1981 ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Saint Kitts and Nevis}} || || * || || || ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Saint Lucia}} || || * || || || ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Saint Vincent and the Grenadines}} || || * || || || ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Suriname}} || || || * || 1987 || 1987 ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Trinidad and Tobago}} || || * || || 1991 || 1991 || 1999<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.guardian.co.tt/article-6.2.392739.60e4d2a4b4 |url-access= |title=Caribbean under scrutiny as OAS reforms human rights system |last=Gibbings |first=Wesley |date=5 January 2013 |website=guardian.co.tt |publisher=[[Trinidad and Tobago Guardian]] Newspaper |agency=Guardian Holdings Ltd. |access-date=27 May 2022 |url-status= |quote=T&T was an early signatory to the Convention in 1977 but announced its denunciation of the Convention in 1998 which, with one year's notice, saw the country's departure in 1999.}}</ref>
|
|-
|{{flag|United States}} || || || || || ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Uruguay}} || || || * ||1985 ||1985 ||
|
|-
|{{flag|Venezuela}} || || || *  ||1977 ||1981 ||2013
|2019 (Guaidó govt)
|}

== Composition ==

The court consists of seven judges, held to the highest moral judgement who have a high competency in human rights law.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=The Practice and Procedure of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights|isbn=9781139782388}}</ref> These judges are elected to six-year terms by the [[General Assembly of the Organization of American States|OAS General Assembly]]; each judge may be reelected for an additional six-year term.

Recent policy changes state, when serving on the court, judges are expected to act as individuals, not representing their state. They must be OAS member states' nationals; however, they do not need to be individuals of a state that has ratified the American Convention or accepted jurisdiction of the Court. Judges are required to recuse themselves from cases involving their home country. States parties are no longer permitted to name a judge ad hoc to their case if a sitting judge is not from their country. If a judge is a national of one of the State Parties to the case, the State Parties can only designate a judge ad hoc if there are inter-state complaints.<ref name=":0" /> In order to be nominated as a judge, one must be a national of a member state of OAS, a jurist, have the 'highest moral authority', have high competency of human rights law, have 'the qualifications required for the exercise of the highest judicial functions in conformity with the law of the state of which they are nationals or of the state that proposes them as candidates'.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Ruiz-Chiriboga|first=Oswaldo|date=1 January 2012|title=The Independence of the Inter-American Judge|journal=The Law & Practice of International Courts and Tribunals|language=en|volume=11|issue=1|pages=111–135|doi=10.1163/157180312X619051|issn=1571-8034|url=https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/2083302/file/6769325 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

'Highest Moral Authority' is loosely defined by the ACHR as never having never been convicted of a crime, suspended or expelled from the legal profession, or dismissed from public office.<ref name=":1" />

Judges are elected by State Parties to the convention from a list of nominated candidates. Each State Party may nominate up to three candidates, but if nominating three, at least one of the three must be a national of a state other than the nominating state. The Secretary General of the OAS organizes the candidates alphabetically and forwards it to the State Parties. The election consists of a secret ballot, requiring an absolute majority of the State Parties to the convention. Those who receive the most votes are elected.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oas.org/en/iachr/mandate/Basics/statutecourt.asp|title=OAS – Organization of American States: Democracy for peace, security, and development|last=OAS|date=1 August 2009|website=oas.org|language=en|access-date=18 November 2018}}</ref>

After the Convention came into force on 18 July 1978, the first election of judges took place on 22 May 1979. The new Court first convened on 29 June 1979 at the Organization of American States Headquarters in [[Washington, D.C.]], United States.

== Criticism ==
{{Criticism section|date=February 2024}}
The Court's behaviour has also been criticized.  Among other issues, some authors have criticized the politicization of the Court.<ref>[http://www.lyd.com/wp-content/files_mf/sij7radiografiapoliticaalsistemainteramericanodeddhhjfgarciaysverdugodiciembre2011.pdf José Francisco García G. y Sergio Verdugo R., Libertad y Desarrollo, “Radiografía Política al Sistema Interamericano de DD.HH.” (in Spanish)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141110055632/http://www.lyd.com/wp-content/files_mf/sij7radiografiapoliticaalsistemainteramericanodeddhhjfgarciaysverdugodiciembre2011.pdf |date=10 November 2014 }}</ref> Furthermore, the process of nomination and election is a subject of criticism. It is not a transparent or accountable process at both the National and International levels. There is a push for the OAS to create an independent group in charge of evaluating candidates. Another independent group in charge of overseeing the national processes and ranking the candidates that is separate from OAS is a proposed initiative by scholars to address these criticisms. These would ensure that all candidates have been through two reviews on the National and International level before being able to be elected.<ref name=":1" />

Fair representation when it comes to candidates is also a point of contention. Scholars have stated that State Parties should strive for equal representation in terms of geographic sub-regions, different ethnic and cultural groups, and female and male judges; however, this should be done without straying from the high standards and qualifications required for candidates.<ref name=":1" />

"Highest Moral Authority", a requirement for nomination, is often criticized because its vagueness. The necessary qualifications are not clearly defined and vary from country to country. The minimum age ranges from none to 45 years old and the number of years of experience ranges from 10 to 15 years and only Paraguay requires candidates to have a PhD.<ref name=":1" />

Some of the latest criticisms come from Peru <ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.andina.com.pe/Espanol/Noticia.aspx?id=44ntCADmrvg= |title=Rey critica a Corte Interamericana por fallo que favorece a terrorista cercano a "Artemio" |access-date=7 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140707140801/http://www.andina.com.pe/Espanol/Noticia.aspx?id=44ntCADmrvg= |archive-date=7 July 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and Venezuela.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vtv.gov.ve/noticias-nacionales/31178 |title=Grabación devela confabulación de la Corte Interamericana de DDHH contra Venezuela &#124; Venezolana de Televisión |access-date=7 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100511043928/http://www.vtv.gov.ve/noticias-nacionales/31178 |archive-date=11 May 2010  }}</ref>  Venezuela subsequently withdrew from the system after President Hugo Chávez declared the court's decision to rule Venezuela guilty of holding a prisoner in inhumane jail conditions as invalid.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-18978997|title=Venezuela to reject rights court|date=25 July 2012|publisher=BBC News|access-date=18 November 2018|language=en-GB}}</ref> Up to then, Trinidad and Tobago had been the only state to withdraw.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://minrel.gob.cl/prontus_minrel/site/artic/20090422/pags/20090422085224.php|title=Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Chile|website=minrel.gob.cl|access-date=9 July 2019}}</ref> Peru tried to do so, but did not follow the appropriate procedure.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://hrlibrary.umn.edu/iachr/Annuals/Sapp16-99.html|title=Bibilioteca de los Derechos Humanos de la Universidad de Minnesota|website=hrlibrary.umn.edu|access-date=9 July 2019}}</ref>

== Personnel ==
=== Current Judges ===
{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
! Name !! State !! Position !! Term
|-
 |[[Nancy Hernández López]] || {{flagicon|Costa Rica}} Costa Rica||President||2023-2028
|-
 |[[Rodrigo Mudrovitsch]] || {{flagicon|Brazil}} Brazil||Vice President ||2023-2028
|-
 |[[Humberto Antonio Sierra Porto]] || {{flagicon|Colombia}} Colombia||Judge||2013–2024
|-
 |[[Eduardo Ferrer Mac-Gregor Poisot]] || {{flagicon|Mexico}} Mexico||Judge ||2013–2024 
|-
||[[Ricardo Pérez Manrique]] || {{flagicon|Uruguay}} Uruguay||President||2023-2028
|-
|Verónica Gómez || {{flagicon|Argentina}} Argentina||Judge ||2023-2028
|-
|[[Patricia Pérez Goldberg]] || {{flagicon|Chile}} Chile||Judge||2023-2028
|-
|}

=== Former Presidents of the Court ===
{| class="wikitable" 
!Years!!Country!!Judge
|-
|2020–2021
|| {{URU}}|| [[Ricardo Pérez Manrique]]
|-
|2018–2019
|| {{MEX}}|| [[Eduardo Ferrer Mac-Gregor Poisot]]
|-
|2016–2017
|| {{BRA}}|| [[Roberto de Figueiredo Caldas]]
|-
|2014–2015
|| {{COL}}|| [[Humberto Sierra Porto]]
|-
|2010–2013
|| {{PER}}|| [[Diego García Sayán]]
|-
|2008–2009 
|| {{CHI}}|| [[Cecilia Medina]]
|-
|2004–2007
|| {{MEX}}|| [[Sergio García Ramírez]]
|-
|1999–2003
|| {{BRA}}|| [[Antônio Augusto Cançado Trindade]]
|-
|1997–1999
|| {{ECU}}|| [[Hernán Salgado Pesantes]]
|-
|1994–1997
|| {{MEX}}|| [[Héctor Fix Zamudio]]
|-
|1993–1994
|| {{COL}}|| [[Rafael Nieto Navia]]
|-
|1990–1993
|| {{MEX}}|| [[Héctor Fix Zamudio]]
|-
|1989–1990
|| {{URU}}|| [[Héctor Gros Espiell]]
|-
|1987–1989 
|| {{COL}}|| [[Rafael Nieto Navia]]
|-
|1985–1987 
|| {{USA}}|| [[Thomas Buergenthal]]
|-
|1983–1985 
|| {{VEN}}|| [[Pedro Nikken]]
|-
|1981–1983 
|| {{HON}}|| [[Carlos Roberto Reina]]
|-
|1979–1981 
|| {{CRI}}|| [[Rodolfo E. Piza Escalante]]
|-
|}

=== Former members of the Court ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width 570px;"
|-
!Year!!State!!Members of the Court!!President
|-
|1979–1981
|| {{flagicon|Colombia}} Colombia|| [[César Ordóñez]]||
|-
|1979–1985
|| {{flagicon|Venezuela}} Venezuela|| [[Máximo Cisneros Sánchez]]||
|-
|1979–1985
|| {{flagicon|Jamaica}} Jamaica|| [[Huntley Eugene Munroe]]||
|-
|1979–1985
|| {{flagicon|Honduras}} Honduras|| [[Carlos Roberto Reina]] ||1981–1983
|-
|1979–1989
|| {{flagicon|Costa Rica}} Costa Rica|| [[Rodolfo E. Piza Escalante]] ||1979–1981
|-
|1979–1989
|| {{flagicon|Venezuela}} Venezuela|| [[Pedro Nikken]] ||1983–1985
|-
|1979–1991
|| {{flagicon|USA}} United States|| [[Thomas Buergenthal]] ||1985–1987
|-
|1981–1994
|| {{flagicon|Colombia}} Colombia|| [[Rafael Nieto Navia]] ||1987–1989, 1993–1994
|-
|1985–1989
|| {{flagicon|Honduras}} Honduras|| [[Jorge R. Hernández Alcerro]]||
|-
|1985–1990
|| {{flagicon|Uruguay}} Uruguay|| [[Héctor Gros Espiell]] ||1989–1990
|-
|1985–1997
|| {{flagicon|Mexico}} Mexico|| [[Héctor Fix-Zamudio]] ||1990–1993, 1994–1997
|-
|1989–1991
|| {{flagicon|Honduras}} Honduras|| [[Policarpo Callejas]]||
|-
|1989–1991
|| {{flagicon|Venezuela}} Venezuela|| [[Orlando Tovar Tamayo]]||
|-
|1989–1994
|| {{flagicon|Costa Rica}} Costa Rica|| [[Sonia Picado Sotela]]||
|-
|1990–1991
|| {{flagicon|Argentina}} Argentina|| [[Julio A. Barberis]]||
|-
|1991–1994
|| {{flagicon|Venezuela}} Venezuela|| [[Asdrúbal Aguiar Aranguren]]||
|-
|1991–1997
|| {{flagicon|Nicaragua}} Nicaragua|| [[Alejandro Montiel Argüello]]||
|-
|1991–2003
|| {{flagicon|Chile}} Chile|| [[Máximo Pacheco Gómez]]||
|-
|1991–2003
|| {{flagicon|Ecuador}} Ecuador|| [[Hernán Salgado Pesantes]] ||1997–1999
|-
|1998–2003
|| {{flagicon|Colombia}} Colombia|| [[Carlos Vicente de Roux-Rengifo]]||
|-
|1995–2006
|| {{flagicon|Barbados}} Barbados|| [[Oliver H. Jackman]]||
|-
|1995–2006
|| {{flagicon|Venezuela}} Venezuela|| [[Alirio Abreu Burelli]]||
|-
|1995–2006
|| {{flagicon|Brazil}} Brazil|| [[Antônio Augusto Cançado Trindade]] ||1999–2003
|-
|2001–2003
| {{flagicon|Argentina}} Argentina|| [[Ricardo Gil Lavedra]]||
|-
|2004–2009
|| {{flagicon|Mexico}} Mexico|| [[Sergio García Ramírez]] ||2004–2007
|-
|2004–2009
|| {{flagicon|Chile}} Chile|| [[Cecilia Medina Quiroga]] ||2008–2009
|-
|2004–2015
|| {{flagicon|Costa Rica}} Costa Rica|| [[Manuel Ventura Robles]] ||
|-
|2004–2015
|| {{flagicon|Peru}} Peru|| [[Diego García-Sayán]] ||2010–2013
|-
|2007–2012
|| {{flagicon|Jamaica}} Jamaica|| [[Margarette May Macaulay]] ||
|-
|2007–2012
|| {{flagicon|Dominican Republic}} Dominican Republic|| [[Rhadys Abreu Blondet]] ||
|-
|2007–2012
|| {{flagicon|Argentina}} Argentina|| [[Leonardo A. Franco]] ||
|-
|2010–2015
|| {{flagicon|Uruguay}} Uruguay|| [[Alberto Pérez Pérez]] ||
|-
|2013–2018
|| {{flagicon|Brazil}} Brazil|| [[Roberto de Figueiredo Caldas]] ||2016–2017
|}

==Notable cases heard by the Court==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Case !! Date !! Ruling
|-
| ''[[Velásquez-Rodríguez v. Honduras]]'' || 29 July 1988 || [http://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/casos/articulos/seriec_04_ing.pdf]
|-
| ''[[Caracazo|Caracazo v. Venezuela]]'' || 11 November 1999 || [http://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/casos/articulos/seriec_58_ing.pdf]
|-
| ''[[List of films banned in Chile|"The Last Temptation of Christ" (Olmedo-Bustos et al.) v. Chile]]'' || 5 February 2001 || [http://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/casos/articulos/seriec_73_ing.pdf]
|-
| ''[[Barrios Altos massacre|Barrios Altos v. Peru]]'' || 14 March 2001 || [http://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/casos/articulos/seriec_75_ing.pdf]
|-
| ''[[Myrna Mack Chang|Myrna Mack Chang v. Guatemala]]'' || 25 November 2003 || [http://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/casos/articulos/seriec_101_ing.pdf]
|-
| ''[[Plan de Sánchez massacre|Plan de Sánchez Massacre v. Guatemala]]'' || 29 April 2004 || [http://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/casos/articulos/seriec_105_ing.pdf]
|-
| ''[[La Nación (San José)|Herrera-Ulloa v. Costa Rica]]'' || 2 July 2004 || [http://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/casos/articulos/seriec_107_ing.pdf]
|-
| ''[[Lori Berenson|Lori Berenson-Mejía v. Peru]]'' || 25 November 2004 || [http://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/casos/articulos/seriec_119_ing.pdf]
|-
| ''[[Moiwana|Moiwana Community v. Suriname]]'' || 15 June 2005 || [http://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/casos/articulos/seriec_124_ing.pdf]
|-
| ''[[Mapiripán massacre|"Mapiripán Massacre" v. Colombia]]'' || 15 September 2005 || [http://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/casos/articulos/seriec_134_ing.pdf]
|-
| ''[[Almonacid-Arellano et al v. Chile]]'' || 26 September 2006 || [http://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/casos/articulos/seriec_154_ing.pdf]
|-
| ''[[Araguaia guerrilla|Gomes Lund et al. ("Guerrilha do Araguaia") v. Brazil]]'' || 24 November 2010 || [http://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/casos/articulos/seriec_219_ing.pdf]
|-
| ''[[Gelman v. Uruguay]]'' || 24 February 2011 || [https://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/casos/articulos/seriec_221_ing.pdf]
|-
| ''[[Karen Atala|Atala Riffo and daughters v. Chile]]'' || 24 February 2012 || [http://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/casos/articulos/seriec_239_esp.pdf]
|-
| ''[[Marcel Granier and other (Radio Caracas Television) v. Venezuela]]'' || 22 June 2015 || [http://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/casos/articulos/seriec_293_esp.pdf]
|}

== Advisory Opinions ==

=== Advisory Opinion OC-23/17 ===
The 2017 Advisory Opinion OC-23/17 on Environment and Human Rights, issued by the [[Inter-American Court of Human Rights]] (IACtHR), recognised the right to a healthy environment as an autonomous human right under the [[American Convention on Human Rights]]. The opinion, requested by Colombia, clarified that environmental degradation and climate change adversely affect human rights, particularly for vulnerable groups such as Indigenous peoples and children.

The Court established that the right to a healthy environment is "fundamental to the existence of humanity" and linked it to rights to life and personal integrity. It highlighted the following obligations for States:

* '''Prevention''': States are obligated to regulate activities causing environmental harm.
* '''Assessment''': States must conduct independent environmental impact assessments.
* '''Mitigation''': States must mitigate existing environmental damage.
* '''Cooperation''': States must notify and negotiate with other nations regarding transboundary harm and environmental emergencies.
* '''Procedural rights''': States must ensure
** guaranteed public access to environmental information,
** participation in environmental decision-making, and
** access to justice, including for non-residents affected by cross-border damage.

It also applied the [[precautionary principle]], requiring states to act against environmental threats even amid scientific uncertainty. The opinion provided a basis for later climate litigation, including the IACtHR’s 2025 Advisory Opinion on Climate Change. 

=== Advisory Opinion OC-32/25 ===
The [[Inter-American Court of Human Rights]] (IACtHR) issued an [[Advisory opinion|Advisory Opinion]] OC-32/25 on July 3rd 2025. The opinion was requested by Chile and Colombia in January 2023 amid growing climate litigation in Latin America<sup>[1]</sup>. It is recognised as built upon prior IACtHR jurisprudence, such as the ''2017 Advisory Opinion on Environment and Human Rights'', which first established the autonomous right to a healthy environment and emphasises enhanced due diligence in climate policy. The opinion was also delivered in the same year as the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) Advisory Opinion on climate change (July 23rd 2025) and followed the ITLOS Advisory Opinion (May 21st 2024), adding to a growing body of international guidance on climate obligations.

The opinion interprets the [[American Convention on Human Rights]] to include explicit state obligations in addressing climate change through a human rights framework. The Court took into consideration input from a multitude of stakeholders, including states, international bodies, civil society organizations, and academic institutions in arriving at this opinion, reflecting the growing concern over the impacts of climate change on human rights. 

The opinion finds the Court affirming that states must take urgent measures to mitigate and adapt to climate change. The Court found that this includes making efforts to regulate corporate emissions, to adopt science-based measures to mitigate climate change - including regulating corporate emissions and setting enforceable targets aligned with the 1.5°C [[Paris Agreement]] goal, to combat climate misinformation & ensure public participation in climate policymaking, and to protect vulnerable groups, including Indigenous peoples and future generations. It also reaffirmed the right to a healthy environment as an autonomous human right and that nature itself can hold rights. 

The Court also described the duty to prevent irreversible environmental damage as a potential [[jus cogens]] norm, which is a peremptory principle of international law. 

==See also==
* [[European Court of Human Rights]], regional court originally established in 1959
* [[African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights]], regional court established in 2006
* [[International Criminal Court]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.corteidh.or.cr/index.cfm?lang=en Official website in English]

{{International human rights organizations}}
{{Organization of American States}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Inter-American Court Of Human Rights}}
[[Category:Inter-American Court of Human Rights| ]]
[[Category:International courts and tribunals]]
[[Category:Intergovernmental human rights organizations]]
[[Category:Organization of American States]]
[[Category:Human rights in Latin America]]
[[Category:Intergovernmental organizations established by treaty]]
[[Category:Human rights courts]]
[[Category:Courts and tribunals established in 1979]]