ICRC News 32 / 24-Aug-00

Costa Rica
Agreement signed with Inter-American Court of Human Rights

On 18 August, in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, the ICRC regional
delegate for Central America and the Caribbean and the President of the
Inter-American Court of Human Rights signed a cooperation agreement
providing for the exchange of documents between the two institutions. The
ICRC and the Court will thus be able to assist each other in their efforts
to ensure that people receive the protection that is due to them in all
circumstances, in particular through the dissemination and implementation
of human rights law and international humanitarian law. The agreement,
which will serve as a frame of reference for the exchange of information
and legal documents and for the training of judges and Court staff in
international humanitarian law, is one of a series of measures designed to
strengthen the inter-American system for the protection of human rights.

At the signing ceremony, which took place in the main courtroom in the
presence of the president, the vice-president, the judges and the court
clerk and staff, the Court and the ICRC carried out a symbolic exchange of
documents. An initial meeting between ICRC legal experts and the lawyers
who work at the Court is scheduled for mid-September.

Further information: Jaime Arroyo, ICRC Guatemala, tel. ++ 502 362 52 37


During the weekend of
26 -27 August 2000, for all information please call the press officer on
duty
Amanda Williamson, on (mobile) 41 79 217 32 16