101
facts on which the IACHR has expressed its opinion are examples of the reality of prison
violence that exists in the region. In these press releases, the IACHR has consistently
reiterated that the State is in a position of guarantor with respect to persons deprived of
liberty and, as such, it has the absolute obligation to guarantee the rights to life and to
humane treatment of those in its custody. This means that the State not only must ensure
that its agents exercise appropriate control over security and order in prisons; it must also
adopt such measures as might be necessary to protect individuals in custody from possible
324
attacks by third parties, including other inmates. As a function of this fundamental
obligation, States have the duty to take concrete steps to prevent acts of violence from
occurring in prisons.
281.
Therefore, based on what it has observed in the exercise of its various
functions, the IACHR has determined that, fundamentally, prison violence is caused by the
following factors: (a) corruption and a lack of preventive measures on the part of the
authorities; (b) the existence of prisons with systems of self‐government in which the
prisoners effectively control what happens inside the walls, where some prisoners have
…continuation
November 10, 2010, at Raimundo Vidal de Pessoa Remand Center, in Manaus, in which three people were killed;
and the riot on November 9 at Pedrinhas Prison Complex, in San Luis, Marañón State, which went on for more
than 27 hours and in which at least 18 people died. See in this regard, IACHR press releases 18/06 and 114/10.
319
As regards to El Salvador, the riot that erupted on August 18, 2004, at La Esperanza Prison (La
Mariona) between ordinary prisoners and members of gangs (or maras), in which 30 people were killed and 23
were injured. And the fighting on April 26, 2010, at Sonsonate and Cojutepeque Prisons, in which 2 inmates died
and more than 25 were injured. See in this regard, IACHR press releases 16/04 and 52/10.
320
In the case of Guatemala, the fighting between members of gangs which occurred almost
simultaneously on August 15, 2005, at four detention centers (PNC Precinct 31 in Escuintla, Pavón Prison, Canadá
Farm, and Mazatenango Remand Center) in which 30 were people killed and 80 wounded. And the violence that
broke out on November 22, 2008, at Pavoncito Jail, in which 7 inmates lost their lives and several others were
injured. See in this regard, IACHR press releases 32/05 and 53/08.
321
As for Honduras, the fighting among inmates that occurred on January 5, 2006, at Támara National
Penitentiary, in which 13 prisoners died as a result of being attacked with firearms, machetes, and other cutting
321
and stabbing weapons . And the riots that occurred on April 26 at San Pedro Sula Prison and on May 3, 2008, at
321
Támara National Penitentiary, in which 9 and 18 inmates, respectively, were killed . See in this regard, IACHR
press releases 2/06 and 20/08.
322
With respect to Mexico, the events that occurred on January 20, 2010 at Social Rehabilitation Center
(CERESO) No. 1 in the city of Durango. That day three riots broke out simultaneously between rival factions in
three different parts of the facility, leaving 23 dead. Another incident occurred on July 25, 2011, at the Adult Social
Rehabilitation Center (CERESO) in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua state, in which 17 inmates died and another 20 were
injured. See in this regard, IACHR press releases 9/10 and 79/11.
323
As for Venezuela, the violence that occurred on January 2 at Uribana Prison, and on January 3, 2007,
at Guanare Prison, in which 16 and 6 inmates were killed, respectively; on January 27, 2010, at La Planta Judicial
Confinement Center for Reeducation and Craftwork (“El Paraíso”), in which 8 inmates died and 17 were injured;
on March 9, 2010, at Yare Prison, in which 6 inmates lost their lives and 15 were injured; on April 12 and May 4, at
Occidente Penitentiary Center, where 7 and 8 inmates, respectively, died; from January 30 to February 2 at
Tocorón Prison, and on February 1, 2011, at Vista Hermosa Prison, in which 2 and 5 inmates, respectively, were
killed; and on June 12, 2011, at El Rodeo I Prison in which 19 inmates died and at least 25 were seriously injured.
See in this regard, IACHR press releases 1/07, 10/10, 27/10, 50/10, 7/11, and 57/11.
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IACHR, Report 41/99, Case 11.491, Merits, Minors in Detention, Honduras, March 10, 1999,
para. 136.
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