USA: U.S. State Department says it takes seriously obligations to uphold consular access for imprisoned foreigners, ahead of execution in Texas

Record ID: 335634

  • Title: USA: U.S. State Department says it takes seriously obligations to uphold consular access for imprisoned foreigners, ahead of execution in Texas
  • Date: 22nd January 2014
  • Summary: WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES (JANUARY 22, 2014) (STATE DEPARTMENT TV) WIDE OF U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESWOMAN MARIE HARF WALKING INTO THE ROOM REPORTER ASKING QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESWOMAN MARIE HARF SAYING: "My understanding, he was denied clemency and I think he is scheduled to be executed later today. I don't have any updates fro
  • Embargoed: 6th February 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Crime,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAAUYHKBCKPL60QT0P8XRZJDIA6
  • Story Text: A U.S.State Department spokeswoman, Marie Harf, said on Wednesday (January 22) State Department takes seriously obligations to uphold consular access for imprisoned foreigners, ahead of execution in Texas.
    Texas is set to execute Mexican national Edgar Tamayo for killing a Houston police officer in 1994 despite objections from the Mexican government, which said implementing the death penalty would violate international treaties.
    The Mexican government contends Tamayo was not informed of his right, enshrined in an international treaty known as the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, to diplomatic assistance.

    "My understanding, he was denied clemency and I think he is scheduled to be executed later today. I don't have any updates from our end exept to say that we have been in communication with Texas state government throughout this process. We obviously take our international obligations very seriously to provide consular notification access, and we will continue to work to uphold these obligations. Again, as the Secretary [U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry] said in his letter that he sent in September - that as a former prosecutor - he takes these kind of things incredibly seriously. And mister Tamayo is convicted of killing a police officer. It is not that we don't take this seriously, as that we take seriously our obligations to uphold consular access for folks incarcerated here because, we go all over the world and ask other countries to do same thing, and apply those same obligations when our folks are incarcerated overseas," said Marie Harf, U.S.State Department spokeswoman at the press briefing.
    In 2004, the United Nations' International Court of Justice ordered the United States to reconsider the convictions of 51 Mexicans, including Tamayo, who had been sent to death row without being informed of their consular rights.
    Last month, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry wrote a letter to Texas Governor Rick Perry urging him to reconsider Tamayo's execution because it could make it more difficult for the United States to help Americans in legal trouble abroad.
    The case has drawn attention from across the world. Tamayo said his family had received letters of support from at least 67 countries.
    Texas argues it is not bound by the International Court of Justice ruling.
    If the execution goes ahead, Tamayo would be the fourth person put to death in the United States this year and the first in Texas.
    Texas has executed 508 prisoners since the reinstatement of capital punishment by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1976, the most of any U.S. state.
  • Copyright Holder: STATE DEPARTMENT TV
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register