25 (b) prior notification in detail to the accused of the charges against him; (c) adequate time and means for the preparation of his defense; (…) (h) the right to appeal the judgment to a higher court. 91. Article 9 of the American Convention establishes: No one shall be convicted of any act or omission that did not constitute a criminal offense, under the applicable law, at the time it was committed. A heavier penalty shall not be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the criminal offense was committed. If subsequent to the commission of the offense the law provides for the imposition of a lighter punishment, the guilty person shall benefit therefrom. 92. Article 1.1 of the American Convention stipulates: The States Parties to this Convention undertake to respect the rights and freedoms recognized herein and to ensure to all persons subject to their jurisdiction the free and full exercise of those rights and freedoms, without any discrimination for reasons of race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, economic status, birth, or any other social condition. 93. Article 2 of the American Convention establishes: Where the exercise of any of the rights or freedoms referred to in Article 1 is not already ensured by legislative or other provisions, the States Parties undertake to adopt, in accordance with their constitutional processes and the provisions of this Convention, such legislative or other measures as may be necessary to give effect to those rights or freedoms. 94. The Commission recalls the Court’s repeated rulings that the freedom from ex post facto laws enshrined in Article 9 of the American Convention is one of the principles that govern the actions of all bodies of the State in their respective fields, particularly when the exercise of its punitive power is at issue. 73 In terms of its scope, the Court has ruled that the freedom from ex post facto laws applies not only to criminal matters, but also to administrative sanctions. 74 95. Similarly, the Court has stated that “although Article 8 of the American Convention is entitled ‘Judicial Guarantees’ [in the Spanish version – ‘Right to a Fair Trial’ in the English version], its application is not strictly limited to judicial remedies, but rather the procedural requirements that should be observed [...] so that a person may defend himself adequately in the face of any kind of act of the State that affects his rights.” 75 96. In addition, the Court has said that although that article does not establish minimum guarantees in matters relating to the determination of rights and obligations of a civil, labor, fiscal, or any other nature, the full range of minimum guarantees stipulated in its second paragraph are 73 I/A Court H. R., Case of Ricardo Canese v. Paraguay, Judgment of August 31, 2004, Series C No. 111, para. 176. Citing: I/A Court H. R., Case of Baena Ricardo et al. v. Panama, Preliminary Objections, Judgment of November 18, 1999, Series C No. 61, para. 107. 74 I/A Court H. R., Case of Ricardo Canese v. Paraguay, Judgment of August 31, 2004, Series C No. 111, para. 177. Citing: I/A Court H. R., Case of Baena Ricardo et al. v. Panama, Preliminary Objections, Judgment of November 18, 1999, Series C No. 61, para. 106. 75 I/A Court H. R., Case of the Constitutional Court v. Peru. Judgment of January 31, 2001, Series C No. 71. para. 69. Citing: Judicial Guarantees in States of Emergency (Arts. 27.2, 25, and 8 of the American Convention on Human Rights), Advisory Opinion OC-9/87 of October 6, 1987, Series A No. 9, para. 27.