Jose Patricio Reascos was detained by police after he was found to have marijuana in his possession for personal use. Under Ecuadorian criminal procedure, he was kept in pre-trial detention for nearly four years before he was released. His time spent in pre-trial detention was almost twice the maximum sentence for the penalty of the crime he was charged. The State of Ecuador and Mr. Patricio Rascos agreed to a friendly settlement whereby the government accepted responsibility for violating his right to liberty, fair trial and judicial protection agreeing to render compensation and seek out those responsible for the violations of procedure for punishment.
Citation: Jose Patricio Reascos v. Ecuador (Friendly Settlement) IACHR (20 February 2001) Report No. 22/01