The facts of the case concern the arbitrary dismissal, in November 2004, of 8 members of the Constitutional Tribunal of Ecuador as a result of a resolution passed by the National Congress. Several political trials were also conducted against these members, which violated procedural safeguards and the right to defense.

The IA Court analyzed to what extent the mass dismissal of judges constitutes an attack on judicial independence and democratic order. Using the precedence established in the case of “Tribunal Constitucional vs. Peru” as its reference, the Court developed the scope of procedural safeguards in these instances.