Page:British and Foreign State Papers, vol. 144 (1952).djvu/311

Rh The court cannot decline its jurisdiction, nor consider questions of competency in any case or for any reason, nor defer its decision, which shall have preference over any other matter.

Presentation, before the court which issued the writ of habeas corpus, of every arrested or imprisoned person, regardless of the authority or officer, person or entity holding him, is absolutely obligatory, and no excuse of acting under other orders can be made.

All provisions that impede or retard the presentation of the person deprived of liberty, as well as those causing any delay in the habeas corpus proceedings, shall be null, and the judicial authority shall so declare on its own initiative.

When the arrested or imprisoned person is not presented before the court hearing the habeas corpus proceedings, the said court shall order the arrest of the violator, who shall be judged as provided by law.

Judges or justices who refuse to admit an application for a writ of habeas corpus, or who do not comply with the other provisions of this Article, shall be removed from their respective offices by the government section of the Supreme Court.

30. Any person can enter and remain in the national territory, leave it, remove from one place to another, and change his residence, without necessity for a letter of safe-conduct, passport or other similar authority, except what is provided by the immigration laws and the powers of the authorities in case of criminal liability.

No one shall be compelled to change his domicile or residence, except by mandate of a judicial authority and in the case and with the conditions specified by law.

No Cuban can be expatriated nor shall his entry into the territory of the Republic be prohibited.

31. The Republic of Cuba offers and recognises the right of asylum for political refugees, provided that those who take advantage of it respect the national sovereignty and laws.

The Nation will not authorise extradition of those guilty of political crimes nor will it attempt to obtain extradition of Cubans guilty of those crimes who take refuge in foreign territory.

When the expulsion of an alien from the national territory is proper in accordance with the Constitution and the law, the extradition shall not be effected, in the case of a political exile, to the territory of the nation that may claim him.