1. Every person has the right to personal liberty and security.
2. No one shall be deprived of his physical liberty except for the reasons and under the conditions established
beforehand by the constitution of the State Party concerned or by a law established pursuant thereto.
3. No one shall be subject to arbitrary arrest or imprisonment.
4. Anyone who is detained shall be informed of the reasons for his detention and shall be promptly notified of
the charge or charges against him.
5. Any person detained shall be brought promptly before a judge or other officer authorized by law to exercise
judicial power and shall be entitled to trial within a reasonable time or to be released without prejudice to the
continuation of the proceedings. His release may be subject to guarantees to assure his appearance for trial.
6. Anyone who is deprived of his liberty shall be entitled to recourse to a competent court, in order that the
court may decide without delay on the lawfulness of his arrest or detention and order his release if the arrest or
detention is unlawful. In States Parties whose laws provide that anyone who believes himself to be threatened
with deprivation of his liberty is entitled to recourse to a competent court in order that it may decide on the
lawfulness of such threat, this remedy may not be restricted or abolished. The interested party or another
person in his behalf is entitled to seek these remedies.
7. No one shall be detained for debt. This principle shall not limit the orders of a competent judicial authority
issued for nonfulfillment of duties of support.
Article 8. Right to a Fair Trial
1. Every person has the right to a hearing, with due guarantees and within a reasonable time, by a competent,
independent, and impartial tribunal, previously established by law, in the substantiation of any accusation of a
criminal nature made against him or for the determination of his rights and obligations of a civil, labor, fiscal,
or any other nature.
2. Every person accused of a criminal offense has the right to be presumed innocent so long as his guilt has
not been proven according to law. During the proceedings, every person is entitled, with full equality, to the
following minimum guarantees:
a. the right of the accused to be assisted without charge by a translator or interpreter, if he does not understand
or does not speak the language of the tribunal or court;
b. prior notification in detail to the accused of the charges against him;
c. adequate time and means for the preparation of his defense;
d. the right of the accused to defend himself personally or to be assisted by legal counsel of his own choosing,
and to communicate freely and privately with his counsel;