New Single Code for Mexico Criminal Procedures Challenged by Human Rights Commission CNNMexico
go to original April 17, 2014

The Mexican National Human Rights Commission, (CNDH) is trying to reverse some parts of the new National Code for Criminal Procedures (CNPP), which are considered to contradict citizens’ fundamental rights. The autonomous government organization refuted a total of 13 articles of the CNPP, according to the unconstitutionality action that it presented to the Supreme Court (SCJN). The articles in question are: 132, 147, 148, 153, 155, 242, 249, 251, 266, 268, 303, 355 and 434.

Most of the articles refer to the powers that the CNPP gives to the police to carry out inspections of people or vehicles without a warrant, or to the Public Ministry (Attorney General’s Office) to freeze the assets of a detainee or order a cell phone company to locate a device linked to a crime in real time.

For the CNDH, these methods are violations to the right to personal freedom, freedom of travel, privacy, freedom from arbitrary interference and freedom of legal certainty.

The document delivered to the Court by the Commission stated that “They are contemplating acts of molestation (…) such as the inspection of people and vehicles, which are outside of constitutional limits. They are not observing an order issued by an appropriate authority, that is duly founded, and with reasons for its application. This can result in or lead to arbitrary detention."

Read the rest at Mexico Voices

Translated by Roxy Thompson

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