Effect given to the recommendations of the committee and the Governing Body - Report No 325, June 2001

Case No 2010 (Ecuador) - Complaint date: 02-FEB-99 - Closed

Effect given to the recommendations of the Committee and the Governing Body

1. 26. The Committee last examined this case, concerning the murder of a trade union official, threats against another official and deaths during demonstrations, at its meeting in March 2001 [see 324th Report, paras. 554 and 563]. On that occasion, the Committee expressed the firm hope that the judicial inquiry under way into these murders would be concluded very soon and requested the Government to keep it informed of the final outcome of these investigations.
2. 27. In its communication of 6 March 2001, the Government supplies the final documents concerning to the factual investigation of the case and states that all proceedings have been completed. Indeed, according to the criminal court which examined the case, during this action, which was officially conducted as a judicial inquiry, no specific complaint or accusation was proven, no proceedings remained pending and no one was charged.
3. 28. The Committee notes this information and regrets that the murder has remained unpunished. Therefore, the Committee is bound to recall that the absence of judgements against the guilty parties creates, in practice, a situation of impunity, which reinforces the climate of violence and insecurity, and which is extremely damaging to the exercise of trade union rights [see Digest of decisions and principles of the Freedom of Association Committee, 4th edition, 1996, para. 55].