The Role of the Judiciary in the Violation of Human Rights in Ecuador

According to the US Department of State's report on Human Rights Practices for 2015 in Ecuador: "The main human rights abuses were lack of independence in the judicial sector; [and] restrictions on freedom of speech, press, assembly, and association" (in addition to corruption). The report specifies that judges "reached decisions based on media influence or political and economic pressures in cases where the government expressed interest." It adds that, according to human rights lawyers, "the government also ordered judges to deny all 'protection action' legal motions that argued that the government had violated an individual's constitutional rights to free movement, due process, and equal treatment before the law." U.S. Dept. of State, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2015-Ecuador (2016), available at: http: //www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2015&dlid=253011.