IACHR publishes friendly settlement agreement on the killing of Javier Charque Choque in Bolivia

August 7, 2025

Washington, DC—The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has announced the approval and publication of the friendly settlement agreement for Case 13.139, Javier Charque Choque, concerning Bolivia, through Approval Report No. 115/25.

The case concerns the State's international responsibility for the torture and killing of student Javier Charque Choque, who was lynched by six members of the Villa Arbolitos Indigenous community, with the authorization of the Jilanko, the community's traditional authority. It also relates to the unwarranted delay in the investigation of these events by the Bolivian authorities and the failure to sanction those responsible.

On August 20, 2024, the parties signed a friendly settlement agreement in which the State acknowledged its international responsibility for the violation of the rights to life, personal integrity, judicial guarantees, and judicial protection, as set out in articles 4, 5, 8, and 25 of the American Convention on Human Rights.

The State also committed to implementing several reparation measures, including a private ceremony to acknowledge its responsibility, the publication of the friendly settlement agreement as a means of restoring the victim's honor and dignity, financial compensation for material and nonmaterial damages, and a measure to ensure access to justice.

The IACHR verified that the State had taken certain actions to comply with the agreement, including holding a private ceremony to acknowledge international responsibility and publishing the friendly settlement agreement on the website of the Office of the Attorney General. However, it noted that the measure relating to justice remains pending due to the criminal case being closed on the grounds of the statute of limitations. The IACHR will therefore continue to monitor the case until full compliance is achieved. It also confirmed that full compliance had been achieved with the final compensation measure.

The IACHR is a principal and autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), whose mandate stems from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission has the mandate to promote the observance and defense of human rights in the region and acts as an advisory body to the OAS on the matter. The IACHR is made up of seven independent members who are elected by the OAS General Assembly in their personal capacity, and do not represent their countries of origin or residence.

No. 155/25

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