UN EXPERT ON INDEPENDENCE OF JUDICIARY TO VISIT ECUADOR

3 March 2005


The Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights on the independence of judges and lawyers, Leandro Despouy, issued the following statement today:


"The Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Leandro Despouy, said today the Government of Ecuador has reiterated its invitation for him to visit the country and has now indicated that the visit can take place this month, in conformity with the request the Special Rapporteur made in February.

The Government and the Special Rapporteur will agree in the coming days on the exact dates of the visit. It has already been decided that the visit will take place before Mr. Despouy presents his reports to the Commission on Human Rights on 1 April, according to the preliminary schedule.

As indicated in his statement of 18 February, the Special Rapporteur will undertake this visit in light of the serious crisis affecting the Ecuadorian judiciary, in particular in the context of measures adopted with regard to the Supreme Court and the Constitutional and Electoral Courts. In the view of the Special Rapporteur, such measures could irreversibly affect the independence of the judiciary in Ecuador".

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