On November 15, 1989, the Customs Military Police arrested Mr. Acosta Calderón, a citizen of Colombia, under suspicion of drug trafficking. Mr. Acosta Calderón's statement was not received by a Judge until two years after his detention and he was not notified of his right to consulate assistance during the five years he was in custody pending trial. Mr. Acosta Calderón was found guilty of drug charges on December 8, 1994, despite the lack of evidence of drugs appearing at any time. He was released on July 29, 1996 for having served part of his sentence while he was in prison pending trial, but after he was released in July of 1996, the Commission lost contact with him. The Court found the State violated the American Convention on Human Rights.
Case Summary: Acosta Calderón v. Ecuador, Case Summary