News
International organizations call for respect for the rule of law and urge transparency in the Nomination Commission processes
Guatemala City, February 12, 2014. As representatives of national and international organizations, we are concerned about recent events that affect the institutionality of the Public Ministry and we urge respect for the principles of independence, participation, transparency, open access to information, and representativity in the election processe... More
IACHR sites one of the main causes for excessive use of pretrial detention is pressures that state officials exert on judges
In its recent Report on the Use of Pretrial Detention in the Americas (launched on January 17, 2014) the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) sites one of the main causes for excessive use of pretrial detention is the pressures that state officials—from the Executive and the Legislature as well as from the judiciary itself—... More
DPLF presents Latin American experience on human rights prosecutions in Turkey
On January 11 and 12 of 2014, DPLF's Executive Director Katya Salazar participated in an international conference held in Diyarbakir, Turkey on “World experiences in effective legal methods, collection of evidence and assessing findings in investigation of grave human rights violations”. The event was organized by the Di... More
Judicial independence in Central America: problems and proposals
Even after several decades of judicial reforms and international assistance for judiciaries, judicial independence, transparency, and more in general, the quality of the administration of justice in Central America still leave much to be desired. A variety of initiatives have been undertaken, and a lot of money has been invested—without tangi... More
DPLF launches Digest of Latin American jurisprudence on international crimes Volume II in English
The second volume of the Digest of Latin American jurisprudence on international crimes is an update to the first one, published in 2010. This volume collects and analyzes innovative judgments from national courts that have applied international law in the prosecution of international crimes. Both works, written by Professor Ximena Medellín... More
DPLF launches a compilation of jurisprudence on the rights of indigenous Peoples
The Digest of Latin American Jurisprudence on the rights of indigenous peoples to participation, prior consultation and community property compiles and analyzes judicial decisions made by the high Courts of nine Latin American countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama and Peru.
The... More
DPLF and partner organizations participated in a hearing before the IACHR on the role of Latin American courts in the investigation and punishment of grave human rights violations
The organizations denounced the persisting weaknesses of criminal systems, which undermine the duty of States to prosecute these crimes and combat impunity, even when most of the region has made progress in defeating amnesty laws.
On November 1st, Due Process of Law Foundation (DPLF) along with Fundacion de Estudios para la Aplicacion del Derecho... More
Latin American Courts: Putting an End to the Impunity of the Past? The Cases of Argentina, El Salvador and Perú
DPLF and WOLA organized a discussion with regional experts that focused on the latest developments in the trials of the massacre of Barrios Altos in Peru and of the massacre of El Mozote and the Amnesty Law in El Salvador, as well as the role of national courts and the impact of international law in the fight against impunity.
In the last decade i... More
PRESS RELEASE: Mining and Human Rights in Latin America: Companies’ Home States are Key to Protecting Human Rights
Washington D.C., October 24, 2013.- On November 1, 2013, the Due Process of Law Foundation (DPLF) will participate in a public hearing on the “Human Rights of People Affected by Mining in the Americas and Mining Companies’ Host and Home States’ Responsibility” during the 149th Session of the Inter-American Commission... More
DPLF and allied human rights organizations sent a letter to Archbishop of San Salvador on the closure of Tutela Legal
Tutela Legal was founded in 1982 during the early years of the civil war in El Salvador, when some of the most human rights abuses were taking place. The office played a critical role in documenting cases, preserving evidence, and bringing abuses to light. The Archdiocese of San Salvador unexpectedly closed the office’s doors and laid... More