Hands Off Cain
NEWS ARCHIVE·DEATH PENALTY·FEBRUARY 5, 2003
Mexico

The International Court of Justice ruled that three...

The International Court of Justice ruled that three of the Mexican nationals on death row in the United States should be granted a temporary stay of execution

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The International Court of Justice ruled that three of the Mexican nationals on death row in the United States should be granted a temporary stay of execution.
In a unanimous decision, the court said the delay was needed while it investigates whether the prisoners - and 48 other Mexicans facing the death penalty in the US - were given their right to legal help from the Mexican government.
Mexico's Government argues that all 51 of its citizens on death row should be retried because US authorities denied them assistance from Mexican consular officials.
Mexico says the US systematically breached the human rights of its citizens under the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.
Mexico took its case to the ICJ in The Hague in January.
The convention obliges local authorities to inform an arrested person without delay that he or she has the right to speak to consular officials from their home country.
Mexico was particularly concerned about six citizens whose appeals have been exhausted and may soon face execution.
US lawyers dismissed the case as a publicity stunt, saying during hearings on the case that a ruling in favour of Mexico was tantamount to "a sweeping prohibition of capital punishment of Mexican nationals in the US".
And although the ICJ is the highest court for resolving disputes between nations, it has no power to enforce its decisions.
SOURCES
  • (Sources: BBC website, 05/02/2003)