The lawyer for the Permanent Committee on Human Rights, Fernando Bastias, stated that the autopsy evidence reveals that "the strategy of burning the bodies was intended to hide any evidence."

Relatives of the four minors murdered in the province of Guayas demand justice for the murdered minors.   Photo: EFE

Quito, March 30 (RHC)-- Autopsies of the bodies of four minors who were murdered by Ecuadorian military personnel and later found in a mangrove swamp in the Taura parish, in the province of Guayas, revealed that the victims had been shot in the head.

The lawyer for the Permanent Committee on Human Rights (CDH), Fernando Bastias, stated that the autopsy evidence reveals that "the strategy of burning the bodies was intended to hide any evidence."  Bastias added that the shots were fired while the three teenagers and the child were still alive. "They were fired from behind at medium and long range."

The lawyer also confirmed that one of the teenagers had a blunt force injury to the left side of his head.  This detail is consistent with the account given by the key witness who lent the cell phone to the minors on the night of December 8th, when they disappeared.

Fernando Bastias warned that although the report indicates the presence of bullet residue in the skulls and injuries to the chest, "it did not determine the cause of death, which for us is an ambiguity, which we will request clarification."

The lawyer confirmed that the autopsy is in the hands of international experts, who will be responsible for corroborating the veracity of the results.   "This will allow us to know what actions to take domestically, but also internationally," the jurist noted.

The preliminary investigation into the case concludes on March 31st, with the investigation into the alleged crime of enforced disappearance by 16 soldiers, and the defense team for the minors' families finalizing details to move on to the next judicial phase.

Once the preliminary investigation is complete, the next step is the preliminary hearing and the trial preparations.

[ SOURCE:  teleSUR and EFE ]