Paraguay's Public Defense and Electoral Court to Ensure Vote for Incarcerated Individuals

Paraguay's Public Defense and the Superior Electoral Court (TSJE) are joining forces to guarantee the voting rights of incarcerated individuals. Javier Dejesús Esquivel González, the Public Defender General, and TSJE Minister Jorge Enrique Bogarín González met to coordinate concrete actions for this purpose.

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We are joining forces to guarantee the right to vote for persons deprived of liberty, through a cooperation network, working groups, and a proposal for electoral law.

During the meeting, Esquivel González proposed joint academic activities to train justice operators and officials on electoral law, to be conducted by the Technical Institute of Public Defense and the Electoral Justice's Institute for Training in Electoral Policy. The TSJE was also invited to join the Public Sector Academic Network, an initiative by the Public Defense to enhance continuous state training.

Operationally, the authorities discussed a pilot project to improve access to voting for incarcerated individuals, adhering to international human rights standards. An inter-institutional working group will be formed to design a specific roadmap. Minister Bogarín also suggested drafting a law to create the role of Electoral Public Defenders, enhancing specialization and technical support in this area.

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The reiteration of the crimes imputed to Mr. Jadue, in sum, are assigned by law a penalty of crime. And legislation establishes in our country that crimes prescribe the penal action in 10 years.

This collaboration aligns with constitutional mandates and international agreements that uphold the voting rights of individuals awaiting trial and those convicted who have not lost their political rights by a final court ruling. The TSJE has previously conducted pilot voting programs in penitentiaries, enabling historically marginalized sectors to participate in civic life.

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As we consider that the last active resolution on our part was when we formalized in absentia to request extradition to the United States and it was granted by the Illustrious Court of Appeals of Santiago, that computation would begin to be counted on January 26, 2017.