Statement Regarding Attacks on the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

July 02, 2026. – We, the undersigned individuals and organizations, observe with deep concern the unfolding campaign of harassment and defamation against Commissioner Andrea Pochak, centered on allegations of a conflict of interest in connection with a case pending before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). As Commissioner Pochak explains in her defense, she had no involvement whatsoever in that proceeding while serving in the Argentine government’s human rights office. Furthermore, the State has duly exercised its right to present a defense before the Inter-American Human Rights System, and the proceeding has not resulted in any financial loss to the State.

In this context, the campaign risks undermining Commissioner Pochak’s functional autonomy as Commissioner and First Vice President of the IACHR and, more broadly, the legitimacy of the Inter-American Human Rights System. It is also concerning that the complaint was filed by an organization that has become increasingly active within the Inter-American Human Rights System in recent years, but whose origins, institutional background, and sources of funding remain unknown.

The Commission’s effectiveness rests on its legitimacy as an independent and autonomous body for the protection of rights and on its ability to respond effectively to various forms of human rights violations. Discussions on transparency, access to public information, and conflicts of interest are essential to ensuring the proper functioning of the regional system, and we have consistently supported such discussions. At the same time, it is essential to distinguish between legitimate, well-founded concerns and campaigns aimed solely at discrediting the Commission. Attacks on the autonomy and independence of the IACHR, its members, and its Executive Secretariat must not be repeated. In this context, it would be valuable to promote an open dialogue among States, civil society, academia, and other regional stakeholders to clarify and strengthen the ethical conflict-of-interest standards applicable to Commissioners. Recent debates involving Commissioners with backgrounds in civil society, academia and government demonstrate the importance of clear and consistently applied standards.

We are convinced that, in the face of the challenges posed by the new global and regional context, it is essential that both States and civil society work together to strengthen international human rights institutions to safeguard the continent’s democracies. In recent years, the IACHR has had to intervene in serious political and institutional crises that have affected many Latin American countries. Such engagement is essential to protecting democracy, strengthening the rule of law, and advancing human rights across the region.

• Robert Kogod Goldman, Professor, WCL, American University, former President of the IACHR.
• Carlos Ayala, Professor at Andrés Bello Catholic University, former President of the IACHR.
• Roberta Clarke, former Chair of the IACHR.
• Juan E. Méndez, Professor, WCL, American University, former President of the IACHR.
• James Cavallaro, Executive Director, University Network for Human Rights; Professor, Columbia Law School; former President of the IACHR.
• Julissa Mantilla Falcón, Professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (PUCP), former President of the IACHR.
• Antonia Urrejola, former President of the IACHR.
• Margarette May Macaulay, former judge of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR), former commissioner, and two-time former President of the IACHR.
• Felipe González Mora, Professor at Diego Portales University, former President of the IACHR.
• Flavia Piovessan, Professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of San Pablo (PUCP), former Vice President of the IACHR.
• Víctor Abramovich, Professor, School of Law, University of Buenos Aires (UBA), former Vice President of the IACHR.
• Esmeralda Arosemena de Troitiño, former Commissioner of the IACHR.
• Santiago Cantón, Executive Director, International Commission of Jurists (CIJ), former Executive Secretary of the IACHR.
• Paulo Abrao, former Executive Secretary of the IACHR.
• María Clara Galvis Patiño, Professor at the Externado University of Colombia; member of the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances (2015–2019).
• Soledad García Muñoz, Distinguished Fellow, HRI, Georgetown Law; Special Rapporteur on the Right to Freedom from Enforced Disappearance, IACHR (2017–2023).
• Luis Pedernera, former Chair of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.
• Julieta Rossi, Independent Expert of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights.
• Hélène Tigroudja, Vice-Chair of the United Nations Human Rights Committee

SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS:

• Alianza Regional por la libertad de expresión e información Regional
• ARTIGO 19 Brazil e América do Sul
• ARTICULO 19 Mexico and Central America
• Abogados y Abogadas del Noroeste Argentino por los Derechos Humanos y Estudios Sociales (ANDHES) Argentina
• Asociación Nacional de Organizaciones No Gubernamentales Orientadas al Desarrollo Uruguay
• Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos (APRODEH) Peru
• Associação Nacional dos Centros de Defesa da Criança e do Adolescente ANCED/Seção DCI Brazil
• Centro de Reflexiones Nim Poqom Guatemala
• Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS) Argentina
• Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL) Regional
• Centro de Políticas Públicas y Derechos Humanos (Peru EQUIDAD) Peru
• CIVICUS, Alianza Global para la Participación Ciudadana Global
• Colectivo de Abogados y Abogadas José Alvear Restrepo (CAJAR) Colombia
• Colectivo de Derechos de Infancia y Adolescencia Argentina
• Coordinadora de Derechos Humanos del Paraguay (CODEHUPY) Paraguay
• Coordinadora Institucional de Promoción por los Derechos de la Niñez (CIPRODENI) Guatemala
• Coordinadora por los Derechos de la Infancia y la Adolescencia (CDIA) Paraguay
• Conectas Direitos Humanos Brazil
• Comité de Acción Jurídica Argentina
• Corporación Humanas Colombia
• Coordinadora Indígena de Abya Yala Regional
• Equipo Jurídico por los Derechos Humanos Honduras
• Equipo Latinoamericano de Justicia y Género Argentina
• Fundación Construir Bolivia
• Due Process of Law Foundation (DPLF) Regional
• Fundación Myrna Mack Guatemala
• Fundación para la Justicia y el Estado Democrático de Derecho (FJEDD) Mexico
• Instituto de Defensa Legal (IDL) Peru
• Instituto para las mujeres en la Migración (AC IMUMI) Mexico
• Ipas LAC Regional
• Justiça Global Brazil
• Movimiento Nacional de Direitos Humanos (MNDH) Brazil
• Movimiento Sueco por la Reconciliación (SweFOR) Regional
• Observatorio de Crímenes LGBTI en Mexico Mexico
• Organismo Indígena Naleb’ Guatemala
• PROMSEX, Centro de Promoción y Defensa de los Derechos Sexuales y Reproductivos Peru
• Proyecto sobre Organización, Desarrollo, Educación e Investigación (PODER) Regional
• Red de Coaliciones Sur Regional
• Red Nacional de ONGs de Infancia y Juventud (ROIJ) Chile
• Red Para la Infancia y la Adolescencia de El Salvador (RIA) El Salvador
• Red por los Derechos Humanos de niños, niñas y adolescentes (REDHNNA) Venezuela
• Synergía – Initiatives for Human Rights Global
• Tierra Viva Paraguay
• Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) Regional
• The Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center Global
• SUPPORTED BY:
• Claudia Martín, Co-Director of the Academy of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, WCL, American University.
• José Antonio Guevara Bermúdez, Professor, Autonomous University of Tlaxcala (Mexico).
• Laura Pautassi, Professor, School of Law, University of Buenos Aires. Former Chair of the Working Group for the Analysis of National Reports under the Protocol of San Salvador (OAS).
• Juan Gabriel Tokatlian, Professor at the University of Di Tella (Argentina).
• Joaquín A. Mejía Rivera, Team for Reflection, Research, and Communication (Honduras).
• Manuel Garrido, President of the Innocence Project Argentina and Professor at the National University of La Plata (Argentina).
• María Alicia Noli, Argentine Association of Human Rights Professors (Argentina).
• Roberto P. Saba, Full Professor, School of Law, University of Buenos Aires (Argentina).
• Laura Clérico, Professor, School of Law, University of Buenos Aires (Argentina).
• Gabriel I. Anitua, UnPaz, UBA, UNLa (Argentina).
• Silvia Zimerman, Adjunct Professor, School of Law, UBA (Argentina).
• Sebastián Rey, UNPAZ (Argentina).
• María Lourdes Bascary, Assistant Professor of Human Rights, School of Law and Social Sciences, National University of Tucumán (Argentina).
• Romina Ronda, National University of Catamarca (Argentina).
• Rodrigo Saab, Human Rights Center at the National University of Tucumán (Argentina).
• Mariana Soledad Álvarez, Professor of Legal Feminisms and Human Rights at the School of Law and Social Sciences, National University of Tucumán (Argentina).
• Claudia Inés López, National University of Tucumán (Argentina).
• Gaspar López, Professor of Human Rights, School of Law, National University of Tucumán (Argentina).
• Natalia Federman, Professor, National University of Lanús (Argentina).
• Luciana Álvarez, CONICET/National University of Cuyo (Argentina).
• Federico Taboada, School of Law, UBA (Argentina).
• Cruz Silva Del Carpio, Institute for Legal Defense (IDL), Peru.
• Dante Ariel Leguizamón Morra, Human Rights Coordinator for Paraguay.
• Susana Saavedra, Executive Director, CONSTRUIR Foundation (Bolivia).
• José Javier Acevedo Bustillo, Center for Research and Promotion of Human Rights (CIPRODEH).
• Paula Salvo Del Canto, Humanas Corporation, Chile.
• Adriana Benjumea, Humanas Corporation, Chile.
• Damián M. Loreti, Professor of the Right to Information, School of Social Sciences, UBA (Argentina).
• Natalia Gherardi, Executive Director of ELA—Latin American Team for Justice and Gender (Argentina).
• Dinorah Arceta, Institute for Women in Migration (AC IMUMI).
• María José Guembe, Professor, National University of Lanús.
• Juan Carlos Capurro, CAJ—Legal Action Committee (Argentina).
• Rodrigo Jiménez Sandoval, Professor, University of Costa Rica.
• Marco Romero, Consultancy for Human Rights and Displacement.
• Verónica Reyna, Center for Research and Advocacy for Central America (CIIC).
• Marisol Méndez Cruz, Foundation for Justice and the Democratic Rule of Law (FJEDD).
• Lautaro Furfaro, University of Buenos Aires and Torcuato Di Tella University.
• Martha Guadalupe Figueroa Mier, Mujeres Libres COLEM, AC.
• Vivian Isabel Idrovo Mora, Alliance of Human Rights Organizations of Ecuador.
• Azahálea Solís Román, Autonomous Women’s Movement.
• Rossina Guerrero Vásquez, Center for the Promotion and Defense of Sexual and Reproductive Rights – Promsex.
• Marcelo Ernesto Ferreyra, Synergía—Initiatives for Human Rights.
• María Enriqueta Cepeda, Incide Social, AC.
• Victoria Sanford, Lehman College & The Graduate Center, City University of New York, Department of Anthropology.
• Helen Beatriz Mack Chang, Myrna Mack Foundation.
• María Victoria Fallon, GIDH Interdisciplinary Group.
• Rosa Emilia Salamanca, CIASE Corporation.
• Pablo A. de la Vega M., “Segundo Montes Mozo SJ” Human Rights Documentation Center (CSMM).
• Luis Carlos Rodríguez de la Cruz, Consultancy for Human Rights and Displacement – CODHES.
• Lidia Ruiz Cuevas, Tierra Viva for the Indigenous Peoples of the Chaco – Paraguay.
• Javier Mujica, Center for Public Policy and Human Rights (Peru EQUIDAD).
• Mariela Belski, Amnesty International.
• Raísa Ortiz Cetra, ARTICLE 19 Brazil and South America.
• Jennie Dador Tozzini, former Executive Secretary of the Coordinadora Nacional de Derechos Humanos
• Adriana Agüero, Tierraviva for the Indigenous Peoples of the Chaco. Claudia Herrmannsdorfer, Legal Team for Human Rights (Honduras).
• Georgina Villalta, Network for Children and Adolescents of El Salvador (RIA).
• Camila Barretto Maia, Global Initiative for Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights.
• Socorro Apreza Salgado, School of Law, UNAM.
• Daniela Urribarri, Regional Alliance for Free Expression and Information.
• Luis Raúl Salvadó Cardoza, Independent researcher.
• Máximo Ba Tiul, Nim Poqom Center for Reflection.
• Otto Rivera, Consultant on the Rights of Children and Adolescents
• Álvaro Esteban Pop Ac, Naleb’ Indigenous Organization (Guatemala).
• Ana Braconnier De León, Rafael Landívar University.
• Úrsula Roldán Andrade, Researcher at Rafael Landívar University (Guatemala).
• Hortensia Vásquez Montes, REQUIA A.C. Equity and Art Network
• Gabriella Citroni, Adjunct Professor of International Human Rights Law.
• Julia Esccalante De Haro, RAÍCES, Gender Analysis for Development.
• María Esther Mogollon, Observatory on the Sexual and Reproductive Rights of People with Disabilities (ODISEX Peru).
• María López de la Rica, Kalli Luz Marina A.C.
• Luis Pedro Taracena, Rafael Landívar University (Guatemala).
• Josseline Mendoza Aguilar, Orgullo Ecatepec A.C.
• Gloria Careaga Pérez, Arcoiris Foundation for Respect for Sexual Diversity.
• José Raúl Pérez Aguilar, Codisex Los Cabos A.C.
• Glaucia Marinho, Justiça Global.
• Sofía Guandulain, Trans-Dífusion A.C.
• Diana Lepe, Services and Counseling for Peace.
• Raúl Martínez Rojas, Michoacán is Diversity Collective.
• César Augusto Espinosa de los Monteros Sánchez, Tijuana LGBTI Cultural Community A.C.
• Mónica Luz Ahumada Aguilera, Mexican Network of Trans Women A.C.
• Benjamín González Mauricio, Expert on Sexual Diversity for the State of Jalisco, Mexico.
• Juan Martín Pérez García, Weaving Networks for Children in Latin America and the Caribbean
• Wilfrido Isamí Salazar Rule, Justicia Disruptiva Mx
• Romel Rubén González Díaz, Abya Yala Indigenous Coordination