ABSTRACT

Regional human rights systems function for the Western Hemisphere, for Africa, and for Europe. They entertain complaints of human rights violations under regional human rights instruments. For these regional agencies to hear a consular access case, the violation must be characterized as a violation of the relevant regional human rights instrument. These agencies do not have jurisdiction over violations of the VCCR. As indicated in Chapter 9, however, consular access rights have not infrequently been regarded as due process violations in treaties and by courts.