Access to Justice and Social Inclusion: the Road Towards Strengthening Democracy in Bolivia
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ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS OEA/Ser.L/V/II. Doc. 34 28 June 2007 Original: Spanish ACCESS TO JUSTICE AND SOCIAL INCLUSION: THE ROAD TOWARDS STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY IN BOLIVIA GENERAL SECRETARIAT ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES 1889 F. St. N.W. WASHINGTON, D.C. 20006 2007 Internet: http://www.cidh.org E-mail: [email protected] OAS Cataloging-in-Publication Data Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Acceso a la justicia e inclusioń social : el camino hacia el fortalecimiento de la democracia en Bolivia = Access to justice and social inclusion : the road towards strengthening democracy in Bolivia / Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. p. ; cm. (OEA Documentos Oficiales. OEA/Ser.L/V/II) (OAS Official Records Series. OEA/Ser.L/V/II) ISBN 0-8270-5109-3 1. Justice, Administration of--Bolivia. 2. Prisoners' rights--Bolivia. 3. Women's rights--Bolivia. 4. Rights of children--Bolivia. 5. Indigenous peoples--Civil rights--Bolivia. 6. Human rights--Bolivia. I. Title. II Series. OEA/Ser.L/V/II Doc. 34 ACCESS TO JUSTICE AND SOCIAL INCLUSION: THE ROAD TOWARDS STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY IN BOLIVIA TABLE OF CONTENTS Page EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................vii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION .......................................................1 A. Scope and legal framework of the report ................................1 B. The IACHR visit...................................................................2 C. Preparation and approval of the report ...................................3 D. The context: mass protests, social conflicts and institutional fragility ..............................................................................3 1. The water dispute in Cochabamba in 2000..................4 2. The events in February 2003 related to the income tax ..............................................................4 3. The gas dispute in September and October 2003 .........4 4. Political instability and presidential successions (October 2003-December 2005) ................................5 5. Continued protests and social conflicts .......................5 6. Constituent Assembly and referendum on autonomy.....6 CHAPTER II ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE ............................... 13 A. Introduction ...................................................................... 13 B. Access to justice............................................................... 14 1. General aspects...................................................... 14 2. Coverage and distribution of justice services.............. 16 C. Guarantees of independence, impartiality, transparency and suitability ................................................................... 18 1. General aspects...................................................... 18 2. Appointments and the professional career of judges and prosecutors ..................................................... 19 3. Functional control and disciplinary system of the Judiciary and the Prosecutor’s Office........................ 24 D. Implementation of the accusatorial criminal prosecution procedure ......................................................................... 27 1. General aspects...................................................... 27 2. Problems identified ................................................. 29 3. The Public Defender................................................ 35 iii Page E. Factors of impunity in cases of gross violations of human rights................................................................. 37 1. Impunity in cases of forced disappearances ............... 37 2. Impunity in cases of excessive police and military force in the repression of demonstrations .................. 39 F. Recommendations ............................................................. 43 CHAPTER III CONDITIONS IN PRISONS AND PENITENTIARIES AND THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS DEPRIVED OF LIBERTY..... 45 A. Introduction ...................................................................... 45 B. Use of pre-trial detention and prison overcrowding ................ 47 C. Separation of categories of persons deprived of liberty........... 50 D. Prison security and control ................................................. 51 E. Prison infrastructure and rehabilitation programs ................... 54 F. Family cohabitation............................................................ 55 G. Recommendations ............................................................. 56 CHAPTER IV RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND PEASANT COMMUNITIES ...................................................... 59 A. Introduction ...................................................................... 59 B. Access to land and territory................................................ 62 C. Natural resources and participation in development projects ... 66 D. Situation of forced labor, bondage and slavery...................... 69 E. Access to justice............................................................... 75 1. Access to the official justice system ......................... 75 2. Indigenous law and justice....................................... 77 F. Recommendations ............................................................. 81 CHAPTER V RIGHTS OF WOMEN ............................................... 85 A. Introduction ...................................................................... 85 B. Women’s participation in public affairs................................. 89 C. Violence against women .................................................... 91 D. Access to justice............................................................... 93 1. General aspects...................................................... 93 2. Impunity in cases of family violence.......................... 94 3. Impunity in cases of sexual violence ......................... 97 iv Page E. Other forms of discrimination............................................ 101 F. Recommendations ........................................................... 103 CHAPTER VI RIGHTS OF CHILDREN .......................................... 105 A. Introduction .................................................................... 105 B. The right to legal recognition ............................................ 107 C. Child labor, trafficking and asexual exploitation................... 107 D. Justice........................................................................... 110 E. Recommendations ........................................................... 111 CHAPTER VII RIGHTS OF ASYLUM SEEKERS .............................. 115 A. Introduction .................................................................... 115 B. Guarantees of due process for asylum-seekers and the principle of no forced return.............................................. 116 C. Recommendations ........................................................... 117 CHAPTER VIII CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS............. 119 v EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. At the invitation of the Government, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (hereafter "the Commission" or "the Inter- American Commission") visited the Republic of Bolivia between November 12 and 17, 2006, to observe the human rights situation in that country, as part of its primary mission to promote the observance and defense of human rights in the American States, and the powers granted to the Commission under Article 41 of the American Convention on Human Rights (hereafter "the Convention" or "the American Convention").1 2. The Commission met with authorities and officials of the Executive Branch, the Legislative Branch and the Judiciary, as well as the Prosecutors’ Office ("Ministerio Público") and the Ombudsman’s Office ("Defensoría del Pueblo"). It also held meetings with various organizations of civil society. A delegation of the Commission visited the Chonchocorro Penitentiary in El Alto and the San Pedro Prison and the Women’s Prision ("Centro de Orientación Femenina Obrajes"), both in the city of La Paz. Working meetings were also held on various cases and precautionary measures before the Commission, and a lecture was given on the human rights protection mechanisms of the inter-American system. 3. During its visit, the Commission observed different issues related to respect of human rights in Bolivia, as well as the political and social context of recent years, which has been characterized by institutional fragility and persistent social conflicts. That situation has hampered the design and implementation of measures aimed to overcoming those problems, principally the lack of access to justice and the social exclusion. 4. The Commission acknowledges that the issues observed about the human rights situation in Bolivia represent the legacy of previous eras. It also considers that the current political and social context represent the beginning of an important democratization and social inclusion process which may help the traditionally excluded majority of the population to participate actively in decision-making on political, economic, and social questions that affect them directly. 5. While the Commission learned of several important reforms proposed by the current government, however, social and political conflicts continue, demonstrating the deep polarization amount of the different sectors 1 The delegation consisted of Commission members Evelio Fernández Arévalos, President; Florentín Meléndez, Second Vice-President and Rapporteur for Bolivia; Commissioner Victor Abramovich;