Rodríguez Castañeda v. Mexico

Abstract

Human rights — Admissibility of author’s communication to Human Rights Committee — Consideration of merits — States Parties to ensure Covenant rights are extended to all persons within their territories without distinction — State to take measures to bring domestic legislation into line with Covenant — Right to freedom of expression and freedom to seek information — Reconciling differences between different language versions of the authentic texts — Right to equality before the law and entitlement to a fair and public hearing by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal — Right to vote by secret ballot — International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966, Articles 2, 14, 19 and 25

Treaties — Interpretation — International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966 — Optional Protocol to Covenant — Spanish version of Article 5(2)(a) of Optional Protocol — Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, 1969, Article 33(4) — Meaning best reconciling authentic texts having regard to object and purpose of treaty — Whether examination of author’s claim by Inter-American Commission on Human Rights precluding consideration of communication — Admissibility of author’s claim — United Nations Human Rights Committee