INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE JUDGEMENT ON RIGHTS OF DEATH-ROW PRISONERS IN THE USA

Early day motion 811, tabled 4 March 2003 by Harry Cohen (Labour). Signed by 31 members.

That this House recalls the protest action of Mexican President Vicente Fox last August when, after the execution in the United States of a Mexican national who had been denied his basic right to consular assistance, cancelled a scheduled visit to President Bush to show his displeasure; records that the Mexican Government subsequently brought a case to the International Court of Justice which has now found in its favour; welcomes the reaffirmation in international law of the right to prisoners on death row to consular access and legal representation as laid down by the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations; recollects that the United States has a dismal record of not complying with the judgement of the International Court of Justice; and urges the UK Government to publicly welcome this judgement and urge the United States to comply with it.

Signatures by party: Labour 25, Liberal Democrat 5, Labour/Co-operative 1.