The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has become aware, through various media, of the publication of extracts of its Report No. 31/00 (Case 11.481 – Monsignor Oscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez), El Salvador.

The Commission feels it should make clear that, in accordance with its practices and procedures, Report No. 31/00 was transmitted to the State of El Salvador and to the petitioners on March 13, 2000. In the covering note, the IACHR expressly pointed out that "[the report] is confidential until the Commission decides to publish it." Likewise, the final paragraph of that report states:

The Commission decides to transmit this report to the Salvadoran State, pursuant to the provisions of Article 51 of the American Convention, and to give it one month to carry out the foregoing recommendations, which will begin to run from the day on which this report is transmitted to it. The Commission also decides to transmit this report to the petitioners. Neither the State nor the petitioners are authorized to make it public so long as the IACHR has not made any decision in this regard.

In view of the above, the Commission deplores the partial and unauthorized dissemination of the aforementioned report. The IACHR will take a final decision on publication once the deadline for receipt of information from the Salvadoran State on the recommendations it made has expired.