Ms. Consuelo Benavides Cevallos was unlawfully and arbitrarily detained, tortured, and murdered by agents of the State. She was held in secret without a court order, court authorization, or court supervision. The State agents involved and the government institutions with which they were associated undertook a systematic campaign to deny these types of crimes and any responsibility on the State’s part. Through efforts made by the Benavides family and the Multiparty Investigation Committee appointed by the National Congress, these crimes came to light three years after Ms. Benavides Cevallos' disappearance, and her body was located and identified. Although both the crimes and the cover-up were revealed, those responsible were not brought to justice. The Court found that the State violated the American Convention on Human Rights.
Case Summary: Benavides Cevallos v. Ecuador