2. The rights to judicial guarantees and judicial protection, and the duty to investigate acts of torture and violence against women (Articles 8(1)304 and 25(1)305 of the American Convention, Articles 1,306 6,307 and 8308 of the ICPPT, Article 7309 of the Convention of Belém do Pará and Article XVIII310 of the American Declaration) 2.1. General considerations on the rights to judicial guarantees and judicial protection specific considerations on the duty to investigate cases of violence against women and sexual violence 227. Pursuant to the settled case law of the bodies of the Inter-American system, by virtue of the protection granted by articles 8 and 25 of the Convention and the general obligations of its Article 1(1), States have the duty to provide effective judicial remedies to victims of human rights violations that meet the requirements of the rules of legal due process.311Likewise, the right to access to justice must ensure, within a 304 Article 8(1) of the American Convention: Every person has the right to a hearing, with due guarantees and within a reasonable time, by a competent, independent, and impartial tribunal, previously established by law, in the substantiation of any accusation of a criminal nature made against him or for the determination of his rights and obligations of a civil, labor, fiscal, or any other nature. 305 Article 25(1) of the American Convention: Everyone has the right to simple and prompt recourse, or any other effective recourse, to a competent court or tribunal for protection against acts that violate his fundamental rights recognized by the constitution or laws of the state concerned or by this Convention, even though such violation may have been committed by persons acting in the course of their official duties. 306 Article 1 of the ICPPT: The State Parties undertake to prevent and punish torture in accordance with the terms of this Convention. 307 Article 6 of the ICPPT: In accordance with the terms of Article 1, the States Parties shall take effective measures to prevent and punish torture within their jurisdiction. The States Parties shall ensure that all acts of torture and attempts to commit torture are offenses under their criminal law and shall make such acts punishable by severe penalties that take into account their serious nature. The States Parties likewise shall take effective measures to prevent and punish other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment within their jurisdiction. 308 Article 8 of the ICPPT: The States Parties shall guarantee that any person making an accusation of having been subjected to torture within their jurisdiction shall have the right to an impartial examination of his case. Likewise, if there is an accusation or well-grounded reason to believe that an act of torture has been committed within their jurisdiction, the States Parties shall guarantee that their respective authorities will proceed properly and immediately to conduct an investigation into the case and to initiate, whenever appropriate, the corresponding criminal process. After all the domestic legal procedures of the respective State and the corresponding appeals have been exhausted, the case may be submitted to the international fora whose competence has been recognized by that State. 309 Article 7 of the Convention of Belém do Pará establishes that: The States Parties condemn all forms of violence against women and agree to pursue, by all appropriate means and without delay, policies to prevent, punish and eradicate such violence and undertake to: a. refrain from engaging in any act or practice of violence against women and to ensure that their authorities, officials, personnel, agents, and institutions act in conformity with this obligation; b. apply due diligence to prevent, investigate and impose penalties for violence against women; c. include in their domestic legislation penal, civil, administrative and any other type of provisions that may be needed to prevent, punish and eradicate violence against women and to adopt appropriate administrative measures where necessary; d. adopt legal measures to require the perpetrator to refrain from harassing, intimidating or threatening the woman or using any method that harms or endangers her life or integrity, or damages her property; e. take all appropriate measures, including legislative measures, to amend or repeal existing laws and regulations or to modify legal or customary practices which sustain the persistence and tolerance of violence against women; f. establish fair and effective legal procedures for women who have been subjected to violence which include, among others, protective measures, a timely hearing and effective access to such procedures; g. establish the necessary legal and administrative mechanisms to ensure that women subjected to violence have effective access to restitution, reparations or other just and effective remedies; and h. adopt such legislative or other measures as may be necessary to give effect to this Convention. 310 Article XVIII of the American Declaration. Every persona may resort to the courts to ensure respect for his legal rights. There should likewise be available to him a simple, brief procedure whereby the courts will protect him from acts of authority that, to his prejudice, violate any fundamental constitutional rights. 311 Inter-American Court. Case of Rodríguez Vera et al. (the Disappeared from the Palace of Justice) v. Colombia. Preliminary Objections, Merits, Reparations, and Costs. Judgment of November 14, 2014. Series C No. 287. Para. 435 citing: Case of Velásquez Rodríguez [continues …]