Court to rule on Mexico bid to halt U.S. executions

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The World Court said on Friday it will rule next week on a Mexican request that it seek a delay of the imminent U.S. executions of five of its citizens, who Mexico argues were denied consular assistance.

One of the five on death row, Jose Medellin, is due to die on August 5 in Texas, prompting Mexico to make its petition last month for urgent action.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will issue its decision on July 16.

The ICJ in The Hague ruled in 2004 that the United States had violated international law by failing to inform 51 Mexicans on death row of their right to consular assistance and said the cases should be reviewed.

Mexico opposes the U.S. death penalty and the issue has strained relations between the two neighbors.

In 2005, U.S. President George W. Bush, a staunch defender of the death penalty, directed state courts to review the 51 cases following the World Court's ruling, saying the United States must adhere to its international treaty obligations.

But the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in March that Bush overstepped his authority when he directed Texas to comply with the ICJ's ruling and reopen the case against Medellin.

A gang member, Medellin was denied the right to meet with a consular official from Mexico after his arrest for the June 1993 rape and murder of two teenage girls in Houston. The killings were linked to a gang initiation.

Under the Vienna Convention, foreign nationals have a right to talk to consular officers after their arrests.

Texas has acknowledged Medellin was never told he could talk to Mexican officials. But it has argued that claim cannot be made now because he never raised it at trial or sentencing.

Even if his treaty rights had been violated, it would not have made any difference in the outcome of the case, Texas said.

The ICJ, also known as the World Court, is responsible for handling disputes between U.N. member states. Its rulings -- which often take years -- are binding and not subject to appeal.

(Reporting by Alexandra Hudson)