UN Expert to examine the Independence of Judges and Lawyers in Mexico

HR/10/164
27 September 2010

GENEVA – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Gabriela Knaul, will visit Mexico from 1 to 15 October 2010 to assess the level of independence of the judiciary, the independence and impartiality of magistrates, judges and lawyers and the impartiality of prosecutors, as well as the extent to which individuals can access the justice system.

“My official mission to Mexico will also allow me to examine the level of respect of due process guarantees in the country and the implementation of the reform of the criminal justice system in different States,” pointed out the independent expert, who will visit the country at the invitation of the Government.

Based on the information that she will receive and the analysis undertaken, the Special Rapporteur will formulate recommendations to support the Mexican authorities in strengthening the independence and effectiveness of the justice system in the country.

During her mission, the Special Rapporteur will visit Mexico City, and the States of Chiapas, México, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Sonora y Yucatán. She will hold meetings with senior Government officials; representatives of the Supreme Court of Justice; the Office of the Attorney General; the Federal Judicial Council; the National Commission of Human Rights and the States’ Human Rights Commissions; associations of judges and lawyers; and academics and international and non-governmental organizations.

The Special Rapporteur will present her preliminary observations on the visit in a press conference on Friday, 15 October at 4 p.m. in Casa Lamm (Calle Álvaro Obregón 99, Colonia Roma, México, D.F.). The final conclusions and recommendations on the visit will be presented by the Special Rapporteur in a forthcoming report to the Human Rights Council in June 2011.

Gabriela Carina Knaul took up her position as Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers on 1 August 2009 and reports to the UN Human Rights Council and General Assembly. In that capacity, she acts independently from any Government or organization. Ms. Knaul de Albuquerque has long-standing experience as a judge in Brazil and is an expert in criminal justice and the administration of judicial systems.

For further information on the mandate of the Special Rapporteur, please visit: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/judiciary/index.htm

Check the “Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary”: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/indjudiciary.htm

OHCHR Country Page – Mexico: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/LACRegion/Pages/MXIndex.aspx

For more information and media requests, please contact Rosa Gutiérrez (Tel: +52 55 50616374 / email: rgutierrez@ohchr.org).

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For use of the information media; not an official record