- 71 216. Even though, in his first statement, Wong Ho Wing indicated that the offense he was accused
of was punishable by the death penalty and, during the extradition hearing, his representative
underlined that China had not provided a copy of article 151 of its Criminal Code, the authorities
did not request this information from the requesting State. To the contrary, the Second Transitory
Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice issued the advisory decision in the extradition process,
which was subsequently annulled by means of a habeas corpus (supra para. 70). Furthermore,
neither did the authorities request the necessary and sufficient diplomatic assurances that the
death penalty would not be imposed, which was also grounds for the annulment of the first
advisory decision.301
217. Regarding these delays, the Permanent Criminal Chamber indicated in the second advisory
decision that the delays in the processing of the request “were a result of the requesting State […]
failing to comply promptly with the presentation of the essential supporting documents […] so as
not to violate the supranational law on international agreements.”302 In this regard, it is important
to point out that, even if the requesting State did not forward the complete documentation, it is
the Peruvian State, as a State Party to the American Convention, that is obliged to conduct the
extradition process in accordance with the obligations imposed by the American Convention,
including that the process be conducted within a reasonable time.
218. Regarding the second stage of the process, once the annulment of the advisory decision was
made final on June 15, 2009, a new decision was not issued until January 27, 2010 (supra para.
78). Between these dates, the Supreme Prosecutor gave his opinion on the request and several
extradition hearings were held, the last on December 21, 2009. Nevertheless, the Court notes that
the proceeding was twice as long as when the first advisory decision was issued, failing to comply
with some of the legal deadlines. Thus, the Procedural Code establishes that, once the extradition
hearing has been held, the Supreme Court has five days to issue the decision. In this case, the
hearing was held on December 21, 2009, and the advisory decision was issued on January 27,
2010.
219. Following the issue of the advisory decision, the file was forwarded to the Ministry of Justice
to start the procedure by which the Executive Branch would take a final decision on the extradition
request. Over one year later, on May 24, 2011, the Constitutional Court “ordered the Peruvian
State, represented by the Executive Branch, to refrain from extraditing Wong Ho Wing to the
People’s Republic of China.”303 Initially, the Executive interpreted that this decision meant that it
could not extradite Wong Ho Wing. However, in November 2011, the Executive filed three different
remedies or requests seeking a legal decision or interpretation that would allow it to extradite
Wong Ho Wing without disregarding the decision of the Constitutional Court (supra paras. 86 to
90). Although, just as the presumed victim, the State authorities were using the remedies
available under domestic law, it should be taken into account that all the remedies were declared
inadmissible, considering that the Constitutional Court’s decision was res judicata, could not be
amended, and was binding. In addition, the remedies were filed by the Executive Branch, which is
responsible for taking the pending decision on extradition, and related to the Executive Branch’s
options when deciding the extradition request. Therefore, contrary to the presumed victim, all the
remedies filed directly affected the prolongation of the extradition process. Moreover, even though
the last of these remedies was decided on March 12, 2013, more than two years later, the
Executive Branch has still not decided the extradition request.
301
Cf. Decision of the Second Special Criminal Chamber for proceedings with the accused in prison of the Superior Court of
Justice of Lima of June 15, 2009 (evidence file, folio 6228).
302
Advisory decision of the Permanent Criminal Chamber of January 27, 2010 (evidence file, folios 164 and 165).
303
Judgment of the Constitutional Court of May 24, 2011 (evidence file, folio 281).