352. The Court emphasizes that any violation of Article 7(2) to (7) of the Convention will
necessarily entail the violation of Article 7(1) thereof, since the failure to respect the
guarantees of the person deprived of liberty implies, in short, a lack of protection of that
person’s right to liberty. 488
B.1. Articles 7(1), 7(2), 7(3) and 7(5) of the Convention
353. The Court recalls the principle of liberty of the defendant while his criminal
responsibility is being determined. In accordance with this Court’s jurisprudence, pretrial
detention is the most severe measure that can be applied to a person accused of a crime, and
therefore its application must be exceptional, since it is limited by the principles of legality,
presumption of innocence, necessity, and proportionality, which are indispensable in a
democratic society. 489 Furthermore, the judicial decision that restricts the personal liberty of
a person by means of pretrial detention must be justified and proven, in the specific case,
through the existence of sufficient evidence to reasonably assume the criminal conduct of the
person and that the detention is strictly necessary. Consequently, it cannot be based on mere
suspicion or personal perceptions that the accused belongs to an illegal group or gang. 490 In
any case, the deprivation of liberty of the accused must only have the legitimate purpose of
ensuring that he or she will not impede the development of the proceedings or evade the
action of justice. 491
354. Article 7(2) of the American Convention states that “[n]o one shall be deprived of his
physical liberty except for the reasons and under the conditions established beforehand by
the constitution of the State Party concerned or by a law established pursuant thereto.” This
Court has pointed out that by referring to the Constitution and laws established “therein”, the
study of the observance of Article 7(2) of the Convention obliges the States to establish, as
specifically as possible and “beforehand,” the “reasons” and “conditions” for the deprivation
of physical liberty. If domestic legislation, both in the material and the formal aspects, is not
observed when depriving a person of his or her liberty, such deprivation shall be unlawful and
contrary to the American Convention. 492
355. With regard to the arbitrariness referred to in Article 7(3) of the Convention, the Court
has established that no one shall be subject to arbitrary arrest or imprisonment for reasons
and by methods which, although classified as legal, may be considered incompatible with
respect for the fundamental rights of the individual because, among other things, they are
unreasonable, unpredictable or lacking in proportionality. 493 In this sense, the arbitrariness
mentioned in Article 7(3) of the Convention has its own legal content, the analysis of which is
only necessary in the case of detentions considered unlawful. 494 However, this means that
domestic law, the applicable procedures and the corresponding general principles, expressed
or tacit, must also be compatible with the Convention. Thus, the concept of “arbitrariness” is
488
Cf. Case of Chaparro Álvarez and Lapo Iñiguez v. Ecuador, supra, para. 54, and Case of Yarce et al. v.
Colombia, supra, para. 138.
489
Cf. Case of Tibi v. Ecuador, Preliminary objections, merits, reparations and costs. Judgment of September
7, 2004. Series C No. 114, para. 106, and Case of Herrera Espinoza et al. v. Ecuador, supra, para. 143.
490
Cf. Case of Pacheco Teruel et al. v. Honduras. Merits, reparations and costs. Judgment of April 27, 2012.
Series C No. 241, para. 106, and Case of Herrera Espinoza et al. v. Ecuador, supra, para. 143.
491
Cf. Case of Servellón García et al. v. Honduras. Judgment of September 21, 2006. Series C No. 152,
Para. 90, and Case of Herrera Espinoza et al. v. Ecuador, supra, para. 143.
492
Cf. Case of Chaparro Álvarez and Lapo Iñiguez v. Ecuador, supra, para. 57, and Case of Yarce et al. v.
Colombia, supra, para. 139.
493
Cf. Case of Gangaram Panday v. Suriname. Merits, reparations and costs. Judgment of January 21, 1994.
Series C No. 16, Para. 47, and Case of Yarce et al. v. Colombia, supra, para. 140.
494
Cf. Case of Chaparro Álvarez and Lapo Íñiguez v. Ecuador, supra, para. 96, and Case of Yarce et al. v.
Colombia, supra, para. 140.
114