Analysis of the current situation of judicial interpretation for foreigners deprived of their liberty in Ecuador

Abstract

When arrested, people have the right to an attorney whom they can communicate with in their native language and know the grounds of their detention and how the case will be handled prior their release. However, there are some cases where people are arrested in foreign countries whose language they do not speak. If said country does not provide the services of professional interpreters that can breach that communication gap, some of these detainees will remain in prison sometimes for months without even knowing why. This research aimed to determine the situation in Guayaquil, Ecuador, due to the lack of knowledge about our field. Surveys and interviews were carried out with foreign citizens detained at the Centro de Rehabilitación Social de Varones and the female detention center in Guayaquil. It was concluded that 44 % of these detainees did not have an interpreter at any time; that 11 % of the detainees consider their rights had been violated and that the unauthorized practice of our profession dominates our market.