Inter-American Court Condemns Argentina Over Excessive Criminal Process Duration

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled against Argentina in the 'López de Belva and others vs. Argentina' case, finding the country responsible for violating judicial guarantees due to an excessively long criminal process. The case involved two lawyers, Carlos Alberto López de Belva and Arturo Jorge Podestá, who were initially sentenced in 1993 but saw their case drag on for over 15 years. The court emphasized that the reasonable time principle requires a concrete analysis of each case, considering factors such as the complexity of the matter, the activity of the interested parties, and the impact on the accused. The ruling highlights the importance of judges explaining the duration of a process and recognizing violations when delays are attributable to the state.