Urge Texas to Comply With International Commitments
José Medellín, a Mexican national, is scheduled to be executed on August 5th in Texas, despite not having been informed of his right to seek assistance from Mexican consular officials. Mexican nationals have often been sentenced to death in the US despite being denied this right, yet the US is obligated by Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (VCCR) to inform foreign nationals of their right to seek consular assistance. The US Supreme Court, the State of Texas and the US Government all agree that there is a binding legal obligation to comply with the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordering “review and reconsideration” of the consular treaty violation in José Medellín’s case, and the US Congress is currently reviewing legislation that would implement the ICJ decision. Urge Texas officials to honor US treaty commitments by granting clemency for José Medellín.
To learn more about this case, read or print AIUSA’s full Urgent Action sheet: PDF format