Language Rights Ignored in Mexican Courts for 82% of Indigenous Defendents The News
go to original October 19, 2012

Professor Liliana López says the Mexican criminal justice doesn’t offer appropriate interpretation assistance to indigenous people. (The News)

Of every 100 indigenous individuals processed in the Mexican court system, 82 do not receive interpretation or translation assistance, according to Autonomous University of the State of Mexico (UAEM) Professor Liliana López.

As part of Translation Week, organized by the UAEM’s literature and languages department, López spoke to a group of students about the importance of developing trained professionals who can meet diverse linguistic and cultural needs.

She said that the National Statistics Institute (INEGI) recently reported that of the more than 7,000 indigenous individuals who are tried in the criminal justice system every year, only a fraction are able to appeal for early release.

López said, “The criminal justice system should not have the capacity to decide whether or not it is appropriate to provide an interpretor or translator, as this is an individual and collective right of indigenous communities to express themselves in their own language.” She went on to say that justice and human rights for indigenous peoples and communities is still lacking in Mexico, and cited Article 17 of the Mexican Constitution, which states that “... all individuals have the right to be granted justice by the court in an expedited and timely manner as established by law, and issue its rulings in a prompt, thorough and impartial manner ...

“The UAEM professor said that the adequate application of Article 17 is already difficult to achieve for Spanish- speaking citizens, much less for indigenous populations. “The issue is complex, due to discrimination, harassment and abuse in the justice system, but mainly because of a lack of interpreters and advocates who speak the language and know indigenous cultures so that individuals may have an adequate defense in court.”

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