CEJIL condemns the absence of due process in the impeachment of President Lugo of Paraguay

Washington D.C and Buenos Aires, June 24, 2012. The Centre for Justice and International Law (CEJIL) emphatically condemns the political trial that led to the impeachment of President Lugo of Paraguay on June 22. The process was carried out with unprecedented speed and without compliance with the guarantees of due process and defense in trial.

The commitment of member States to democratic institutionalism as enshrined in the Inter-American Democratic Charter requires that States react with appropriate resolve when confronted with situations such as the one facing Paraguay. Consequently, we urge the member States of the Organization of American States (OAS) to use the mechanisms of the Inter-American Democratic Charter in accordance with the statement issued on June 23 by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, condemning these events.

In addition, we express our concern that the procedures implemented in the impeachment of the President may establish a negative precedent concerning the enforcement of human rights in Paraguay. This concern is reinforced by the numerous reliable reports that document the attempts to control the exercise of freedom of speech within the country.

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