A/HRC/45/CRP.11
officers spoke respectfully to Ms. Granadillo and her cousin, saying they just wanted to ask
some questions.1667
940. They took Ms. Granadillo and her cousin into the back seat of a white sedan with
tinted windows and no plates. After driving for a while, their attitudes hardened, and they
hooded and handcuffed the women and told them they now owned them. 1668
941. After a 40-minute drive, they arrived at the location where Ms. Padilla and her son
where being held. Very loud music played in the house. Two officers took the women upstairs
and pushed them onto the floor of a small bathroom, still hooded and handcuffed. One official
told the other, known as “El Árabe”, to take charge of them. The other left, closing the door
behind him.1669
942. “El Árabe” informed the women that he had a knife and that if either of them tried
anything he would cut their faces. He told Ms. Granadillo’s cousin to keep her eyes closed
and he would take off her hood. Ms. Granadillo told the Mission that she heard the sound of
packing tape. He then removed Ms. Granadillo’s hood as well, telling her that if she opened
her eyes he would cut her. He held the blade against her cheek and brought his face close to
hers, breathing on her. He touched her hair, her face, her mouth and her breasts. As “El
Árabe” started putting his hands beneath her clothes, another official opened the door and he
stopped. The officers then taped a paper folder tightly around her face so she could not see.1670
943. Ms. Padilla told the Mission that at one point the official guarding her in the laundry
room told her he needed to go inside the house. He said the young women were alone inside
with other officers, who might do something to the young women, and that he did not like
that. Ms. Padilla understood this to mean that the officers might sexually abuse the young
women.1671
944. That night, the officers left Ms. Granadillo and her cousin to sleep on the floor, with
wrists taped together. “El Capitán” arrived with a female official at around 2 a.m. They hit
the two women, kicked them in the ribs and pulled them by the hair. They asked about Ms.
Granadillo’s father and why she lived in the colonel’s house. She told them her father lived
in the countryside and had nothing to do with the military.1672
945. From her location in the laundry room just outside the house, Ms. Padilla could
occasionally hear her son’s voice inside the house. She also heard the young women’s voices
when they arrived, as well as the sounds of other people coming and going. Both Ms. Padilla
and Ms. Granadillo could hear Ms. Padilla’s son scream during beatings. Ms. Padilla also
heard other men screaming, whose voices she did not recognize. When the beatings occurred,
the officers turned up the music and the television, ran a blender, and played video games at
full volume. 1673
946. The following morning, 3 February 2018, Ms. Granadillo unexpectedly began
menstruating. She told “El Capitán” that she needed sanitary products. He insulted her,
taunted her and refused to assist. He told her it was the fault of the colonel and she would
have to deal with this shame, that she would be naked and covered in blood in front of them.
She was forced to use the toilet in front of “El Árabe” and another male officer.1674
947. Ms. Granadillo was taken into an office that seemed to belong to “El Capitán”, where
he interrogated her further. “El Capitán” wore a DGCIM uniform, as did most of the officers
1667
1668
1669
1670
1671
1672
1673
1674
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
This specific method of covering detainees’ faces used by DGCIM has been corroborated by the
Mission in other confidential records. It is mentioned in the testimony of Lieutenant Ronald Dugarte
before the Organization of American States, minute 00:08:08 available here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0LaSJb39h4.
Mission Interview with Sorbay Padilla on 22 June 2020.
Mission Interview with Ariana Granadillo on 18 May 2020.
Mission Interview with Sorbay Padilla on 22 June 2020; Mission Interview with Ariana Granadillo on
18 May 2020.
Mission Interview with Ariana Granadillo on 18 May 2020.
187
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