other effective recourse, to a competent court or tribunal for protection against acts that violate his [sic] fundamental rights.”16 Based on this, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has argued that in a democratic State, judges are the main stakeholders responsible for achieving judicial protection of these rights, as well as of the due process that must be observed when a State establishes a sanction.17 The existence of an adequate mechanism for the protection of fundamental rights and the role of judges as operators and guardians of these mechanism are particularly relevant in electoral processes. Hence, the importance of knowing, understanding and fulfilling the key principles which guide these processes, and which are readily available in national laws and international standards. Key principles and international standards Independence and impartiality Article 14.1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and related jurisprudence of the Human Rights Committee (CCPR)18 call upon legal frameworks of States Parties to guarantee the independence and impartiality of tribunals. Legally predetermined procedures for the appointment and tenure of judges are required to promote the independence, impartiality and competence of judicial bodies in order to ensure equal treatment under the law. 13