UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention welcomes the release of Alfonso Martín del Campo Dodd

GENEVA/ MEXICO CITY (30 March 2015) – The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention* today welcomed the release of Alfonso Martín del Campo Dodd in Mexico, whose detention the Working Group has held arbitrary and in violation of international law.

The immediate release of Mr. del Campo Dodd was ordered by the Mexican Supreme Court on 18 March 2015, as his legal defense successfully proved that his confessions – the only evidence against him - were obtained under torture.

In 25 May 2005, the UN Working Group concluded* that Mr. del Campo Dodd’s detention was arbitrary. This Opinion, along with several similar decisions by human rights bodies on this case, was taken into account by the Mexican Supreme Court when making its final ruling. 

Taking into account all the circumstances of the case, the Working Group believes that the adequate remedy includes according Mr. del Campo Dodd an enforceable right to full compensation.

(*) See the Working Group’s Opinion No. 9/2005: http://www.unwgaddatabase.org/un/Document.aspx?id=2241&terms=(+MARTIN+DEL+CAMPO+dODD+)

The Working Group is comprised of five independent expert members from various regions of the world. The Chair-Rapporteur is Mr. Mads Andenas (Norway) and the Vice-Chair is Mr. Vladimir Tochilovsky (Ukraine); other members are Mr. José Guevara (Mexico), Mr. Seong-Phil Hong (Republic of Korea), and Mr. Sètondji Roland Jean-Baptiste Adjovi (Benin).

The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention was established by the former Commission on Human Rights in 1991 to investigate instances of alleged arbitrary deprivation of liberty. Its mandate was clarified and extended by the Commission to cover the issue of administrative custody of asylum-seekers and immigrants. In 2010, the Human Rights Council confirmed the scope of the Working Group's mandate and extended it for a further three-year period in September 2013. Learn more, log on to:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Detention/Pages/WGADIndex.aspx

UN Human Rights, Country Page – Mexico:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/countries/LACRegion/Pages/MXIndex.aspx

For more information and media requests, please contact Mr. Miguel de la Lama (+41 22 917 9289 / mdelalama@ohchr.org) or write to wgad@ohchr.org.

UN Human Rights, follow us on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unitednationshumanrights
Twitter: http://twitter.com/UNrightswire
Google+ gplus.to/unitednationshumanrights   
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/UNOHCHR

Check the Universal Human Rights Index: http://uhri.ohchr.org/en