Germany battles US over executions

Germany wants the US to respect international obligations

The International Court of Justice has begun hearing a case brought by Germany against the United States for executing two German citizens - the LaGrand brothers.

Germany accuses the US of violating the 1963 Vienna Convention by not informing the two brothers of their right to consular assistance when they were arrested.

Karl and Walter LaGrand were condemned to death in 1984 after a jury convicted them of stabbing to death a 63-year-old bank manager in a botched robbery in Arizona in 1982, when they were 18 and 19.

The two brothers were born in Germany but moved to the United States when they were four and five years old yet. They retained their German nationality.

International law

Germany said it was only informed of the case by the brothers themselves in 1992, and not by the Arizona authorities.

Germany says the LaGrand had a right to consular assistance

"Today's case does not concern the fact of the LaGrand brothers' death, as sad as it is, nor is it against the practice of capital punishment as such, but concerns a high principle of international law," Germany's legal representative, Gerhard Westdickenberg told the court.

"The absence of any consular assistance was a decisive factor in their death sentence," the German Government said in a written submission to the court.

Karl LaGrand, 35, was executed by lethal injection in Florence prison, Arizona, on 24 February, 1999.

Walter, 37, was gassed to death in the same prison on 3 March despite an order from the Court of Justice to delay the execution.

Berlin believes the men's lawyer was not sufficiently qualified to handle the case, a fact which could have been remedied through consular support.

The US will present its case on Tuesday.

A verdict is expected to be delivered in three to four months.