February 10, 2025 – In a landmark decision for the defense of human rights, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has issued Precautionary Measures Resolution 13/2025, extending and monitoring protection measures in favor of Jorge David Glas Espinel, former Vice President of Ecuador. This resolution not only upholds but also expands the protective measures in place since 2019, calling on the Ecuadorian State to take immediate and decisive action to safeguard Glas’s life, personal integrity, and health, recognizing the severe deterioration of his physical and mental condition.
Following a thorough analysis and a monitoring visit to “La Roca” prison in October 2024, the IACHR expressed deep concern over Glas’s current situation. The Commission emphasized that the rights of persons deprived of liberty fall under a “special position of guarantor” on the part of the State, which has the duty to ensure detention conditions compatible with human dignity.
The resolution, based on detailed information provided by both Glas’s representatives and the State itself, highlights the alarming decline in his mental health. Medical reports, including those from Ecuador’s Ministry of Public Health, confirm a diagnosis of “severe depression with psychotic symptoms,” an illness that has shown “rapid and progressive deterioration.” Persistent suicidal ideation has been documented, along with an increase in symptoms such as visual hallucinations and “violence flashbacks,” which, according to the IACHR, are directly linked to traumatic events that occurred in prison.
The IACHR noted that the Ministry of Public Health’s own “operational guidelines” for suicide-risk cases were not properly followed after an incident in April 2024, raising concerns about the adequacy of the medical care provided. Furthermore, the Commission questioned the detention conditions at “La Roca,” pointing out that the lack of natural light in Glas’s cell and the strict security measures preventing privacy in communications may be worsening his psychological condition.
In a call to action, the IACHR urged Ecuador to immediately transfer Glas to a detention center that guarantees dignified conditions. This new facility must include:
- A cell adapted to prevent self-harm, with access to natural light and ventilation.
- Staff trained in mental health and suicide-risk detection.
- Conditions that avoid extreme isolation, allowing for safe social interaction.
- Access to family and lawyer visits in complete privacy.
- Participation of Glas’s trusted physicians, whose evaluations must be considered and, in case of disagreement, resolved by an independent Technical Committee.
The Commission reiterated the importance of dialogue between the State and Glas’s representatives, stressing that the absence of internal discussion has led concerns to be escalated to international bodies. The resolution calls on the State to reestablish the “Technical Committee” that functioned in 2021, with the participation of Glas’s trusted doctors, to ensure a consensual and effective medical treatment.
Additionally, the IACHR requested that the State of Ecuador investigate allegations of torture and mistreatment reported following Glas’s arrest in April 2024, and that it periodically report on the progress of these investigations.
In summary, the IACHR’s resolution represents a strong validation of the concerns over Jorge Glas’s safety and well-being. Far from being a mere administrative formality, this document serves as a detailed roadmap for the Ecuadorian State to fulfill its human rights obligations, ensuring that imprisonment does not become a sentence of physical and mental breakdown. It is a call for the international community to closely observe the case, and for the State of Ecuador to demonstrate its commitment to the fundamental rights of all its citizens, without exception.