Resumen

BARRIENTOS PARDO, Ignacio. Suspension of the Right to Vote because of Criminal Accusation: Constitutional Violation of Presumption of Innocence. Estudios constitucionales [online]. 2011, vol.9, n.2, pp. 249-328. ISSN 0718-5200.

According to some comparative studies, Chile is one the most severe countries regarding political rights of convicted people. The forfeit of this rights of condemned people -even though its rationale and means can be strongly criticized- may be socially supported and face few constitutional hurdles. However, the existence of a constitutional rule which ban the vote of people who are not condemned but are criminally accused, implies a disproportionate measure. It is even more preoccupant the absolute inexistence of legal and technical devices to allow the vote of arrested suspects. This paper criticizes the article 16.2 of the Chilean Constitution from the perspective of other constitutional rules and principles of international human rights law.

Palabras llave : Democracy; suspension of the right to vote; presumption of innocence.