Title III
Duties, Human Rights and Guarantees
Chapter I
General Provisions
Article 26: Everyone has the right to access the organs comprising the justice system for the purpose of enforcing his or her rights and interests, including those of a collective or diffuse nature to the effective protection of the aforementioned and to obtain the corresponding prompt decision.
The State guarantees justice that is free of charge, accessible, impartial, suitable, transparent, autonomous, independent, responsible, equitable and expeditious, without undue delays, superfluous formalities or useless reinstating.
Article 27: Everyone has the right to be protected by the courts in the enjoyment and exercise of constitutional rights and guarantees, including even those inherent individual rights not expressly mentioned in this Constitution or in international instruments concerning human rights.
Proceedings on a claim for constitutional protection shall be oral, public, brief, free of charge and unencumbered by formalities, and the competent judge shall have the power to restore immediately the legal situation infringed upon or the closest possible equivalent thereto. All time shall be available for the holding of such proceedings, and the court shall give constitutional claims priority over any other matters.
The action for the protection of liberty or safety, may be exercised by any person and the physical custody of the person of the detainee shall be transferred immediately to the court, without delay.
The exercise of this right shall not be affected in any way by the declaration of a state of exception or restriction of constitutional guarantees.
Title III
Duties, Human Rights and Guarantees
Chapter II
Nationality and Citizenship
Section Two: Citizenship
Article 43: The right to life is inviolable. No law shall provide for the death penalty and no authority shall apply the same. The State shall protect the life of persons who are deprived of liberty, serving in the armed forces or civilian services, or otherwise subject to its authority.
Article 44: Personal liberty is inviolable, therefore:
(1) No person shall be arrested or detained except by virtue of a court order, unless such person is caught in fraganti. In the latter case, such person must be brought before a judge within forty-eight hours of his or her arrest. He or she shall remain free during trial, except for reasons determined by law and assessed by the judge on a case-by-case basis.
(2) The bail as required by law for the release of a detainee shall not be subject to tax of any kind.
(3) Any person under arrest has the right to communicate immediately with members of his or her family, an attorney or any other person in whom he or she reposes trust, and such persons in turn have the right to be informed where the detainee is being held, to be notified immediately of the reasons for the arrest and to have a written record inserted into the case file concerning the physical or mental condition of the detainee, either by himself or herself, or with the aid of specialists. The competent authorities shall keep a public record of every arrest made, including the identity of the person arrested, the place, time, circumstances and the officers who made the arrest.
(4) In the case of the arrest of foreign nationals, applicable provisions of international treaties concerning consular notification shall also be observed.
(5) The penalty shall not extend beyond the person of the convict¬ed individual. No one shall be sentenced to perpetual or humiliating penalties. Penalties consisting of deprivation of liberty shall not exceed 30 years.
(6) Any authority taking measures involving the deprivation of liberty must identify himself or herself.
(7) No person shall remain under arrest after a release order has been issued by the competent authority or such person’s sentence has been served.
Title III
Duties, Human Rights and Guarantees
Chapter II
Nationality and Citizenship
Section Two: Citizenship
Article 46: Everyone is entitled to respect for his or her physical, mental and moral integrity, therefore:
(1) No person shall be subjected to penalties, tortures, cruelty, inhuman or degrading treatment. Every victim of torture or cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment effected or tolerated by agents of the State has the right to rehabilitation.
(2) Any person deprived of liberty shall be treated with respect due to the inherent dignity of the human being.
(3) No person shall be subjected without his or her freely given consent to scientific experiments or medical or laboratory examinations, except when such person’s life is in danger, or in any other circumstances as may be detained by law.
(4) Any public official who, by reason of his official position, inflicts mistreatment or physical or mental suffering on any person or instigates or tolerates such treatment, shall be punished* in accordance with law.
Title III
Duties, Human Rights and Guarantees
Chapter II
Nationality and Citizenship
Section Two: Citizenship
Article 49: All judicial and administrative actions shall be subject to due process, therefore:
(1) Legal assistance and defense are inviolable rights at all stages and levels during the investigation and proceeding. Every person has the right to be notified of the charges for which he or she is being investigated, to have access to the evidence and to be afforded the necessary time and means to conduct his or her defense. Any evidence obtained in violation of due process shall be null and void. Any person declared guilty shall have the right to appeal, except in the cases established by this Constitution and by the law.
(2) Any person shall be presumed innocent until proven otherwise.
(3) Every person has the right to be heard in proceedings of any kind, with all due guarantees and within such reasonable time limit as may be legally detained, by a competent, independent and impartial court established in advance. Anyone who does not speak Spanish or is unable to
communicate verbally is entitled to an interpreter.
(4) Every person has the right to be judged by his or her natural judges of ordinary or special competence, with the guarantees established in this Constitution and by law. No person shall be put on trial without knowing the identity of the party judging him or her, nor be adjudged by exceptional courts or commissions created for such purpose.
(5) No person shall be required to confess guilt or testify against himself or herself or his or her spouse or partner, or any other relative within the fourth degree of consanguinity or the second degree of affinity.
(6) A confession shall be valid only if given without coercion of any kind.
(7) No person shall be punished for acts or omissions not defined under preexisting laws as a crime, offense or infraction.
(8) No person shall be placed on trial based on the same facts for which such person has been judged previously.
(9) Every person shall request from the State the restoration or remediation of a legal situation adversely affected by unwarranted judicial errors, and unjustified delay or omissions. The foregoing is without prejudice to the right of the individual to seek to hold the magistrate or judge personally liable, and that of the State to take action against the same.
1. En las investigaciones realizadas de conformidad con el presente Estatuto:
(a) Nadie será obligado a declarar contra sí mismo ni a declararse culpable;
(b) Nadie será sometido a forma alguna de coacción, intimidación o amenaza, a torturas ni a otros tratos o castigos crueles, inhumanos o degradantes;
(c) Quien haya de ser interrogado en un idioma que no sea el que comprende y habla perfectamente contará, sin cargo alguno, con los servicios de un intérprete competente y las traducciones que sean necesarias a los efectos de cumplir el requisito de equidad; y
(d) Nadie será sometido a arresto o detención arbitrarios ni será privado de su libertad salvo por los motivos previstos en el presente Estatuto y de conformidad con los procedimientos establecidos en él.
2. Cuando haya motivos para creer que una persona ha cometido un crimen de la competencia de la Corte y esa persona haya de ser interrogada por el Fiscal o por las autoridades nacionales, en cumplimiento de una solicitud hecha de conformidad con lo dispuesto en la Parte IX, tendrá además los derechos siguientes, de los que será informada antes del interrogatorio:
(a) A ser informada de que existen motivos para creer que ha cometido un crimen de la competencia de la Corte;
(b) A guardar silencio, sin que ello pueda tenerse en cuenta a los efectos de determinar su culpabilidad o inocencia;
(c) A ser asistida por un abogado defensor de su elección o, si no lo tuviere, a que se le asigne un defensor de oficio, siempre que fuere necesario en interés de la justicia y, en cualquier caso, sin cargo si careciere de medios suficientes; y
(d) A ser interrogada en presencia de su abogado, a menos que haya renunciado voluntariamente a su derecho a asistencia letrada.
1. El acusado estará presente durante el juicio.
2. Si el acusado, estando presente en la Corte, perturbare continuamente el juicio, la Sala de Primera Instancia podrá disponer que salga de ella y observe el proceso y dé instrucciones a su defensor desde fuera, utilizando, en caso necesario, tecnologías de comunicación. Esas medidas se adoptarán únicamente en circunstancias excepcionales, después de que se haya demostrado que no hay otras posibilidades razonables y adecuadas, y únicamente durante el tiempo que sea estrictamente necesario.
1. Se presumirá que toda persona es inocente mientras no se pruebe su culpabilidad ante la Corte de conformidad con el derecho aplicable.
2. Incumbirá al Fiscal probar la culpabilidad del acusado.
3. Para dictar sentencia condenatoria, la Corte deberá estar convencida de la culpabilidad del acusado más allá de toda duda razonable.
1. En la determinación de cualquier cargo, el acusado tendrá derecho a ser oído públicamente, habida cuenta de las disposiciones del presente Estatuto, y a una audiencia justa e imparcial, así como a las siguientes garantías mínimas en pie de plena igualdad:
(a) A ser informado sin demora y en forma detallada, en un idioma que comprenda y hable perfectamente, de la naturaleza, la causa y el contenido de los cargos que se le imputan;
(b) A disponer del tiempo y de los medios adecuados para la preparación de su defensa y a comunicarse libre y confidencialmente con un defensor de su elección;
(c) A ser juzgado sin dilaciones indebidas;
(d) Con sujeción a lo dispuesto en el párrafo 2 del artículo 63, el acusado tendrá derecho a hallarse presente en el proceso y a defenderse personalmente o ser asistido por un defensor de su elección; a ser informado, si no tuviera defensor, del derecho que le asiste a tenerlo y, siempre que el interés de la justicia lo exija, a que se le nombre defensor de oficio, gratuitamente si careciere de medios suficientes para pagarlo;
(e) A interrogar o hacer interrogar a los testigos de cargo y a obtener la comparecencia de los testigos de descargo y que éstos sean interrogados en las mismas condiciones que los testigos de cargo. El acusado tendrá derecho también a oponer excepciones y a presentar cualquier otra prueba admisible de conformidad con el presente Estatuto;
(f) A ser asistido gratuitamente por un intérprete competente y a obtener las traducciones necesarias para satisfacer los requisitos de equidad, si en las actuaciones ante la Corte o en los documentos presentados a la Corte se emplea un idioma que no comprende y no habla;
(g) A no ser obligado a declarar contra sí mismo ni a declararse culpable y a guardar silencio, sin que ello pueda tenerse en cuenta a los efectos de determinar su culpabilidad o inocencia;
(h) A declarar de palabra o por escrito en su defensa sin prestar juramento; y
(i) A que no se invierta la carga de la prueba ni le sea impuesta la carga de presentar contrapruebas.
2. Además de cualquier otra divulgación de información estipulada en el presente Estatuto, el Fiscal divulgará a la defensa, tan pronto como sea posible, las pruebas que obren en su poder o estén bajo su control y que, a su juicio, indiquen o tiendan a indicar la inocencia del acusado, o a atenuar su culpabilidad, o que puedan afectar a la credibilidad de las pruebas de cargo. En caso de duda acerca de la aplicación de este párrafo, la Corte decidirá.