PRESS RELEASE

 

Nº 1/05

 

 

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) welcomes new Executive Order, Nº 05/03, issued by the Acting Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) on January 25, 2005, which recognizes and strengthens the Commission’s independence and autonomy.

 

Experience has shown that the only way the Commission can perform its sensitive and momentous task is to do so without interference from states or from the Organization’s political officials, whose functions are extremely important but completely different in nature from the Commission’s.

 

In this connection, the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Santiago A. Canton, stated: “The new Executive Order strengthens the Commission’s autonomy and independence, unlike the one it replaced, issued by Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, which seriously limited it in that regard.  The Commission has been strengthened, and this constitutes a guarantee for the protection of the human rights of all people in the Hemisphere.”

 

The Commission acknowledges the role played by the Acting Secretary General, Ambassador Luigi Einaudi in this process and is grateful for the strong support received from the member states and civil society organizations.

 

 

Washington D. C., February 2, 2005