Argentina: 10 former repressors are sentenced to life in prison for crimes during the dictatorship

The justice of Argentina sentenced 10 former repressors to life imprisonment for crimes against humanity committed during the dictatorship (1976-1983) in a case that covered more than 400 cases that occurred in three clandestine centers of good airaccording to the verdict read this Tuesday by the court.

During the trial that began in 2020, in which witnesses and survivors testified, kidnapping, forced disappearance of politically persecuted people, homicide, torture, rape, child kidnapping, forced abortions and other crimes were considered proven, according to Federal Court number 1. The moneyresponsible for the process.

LOOK HERE: Memorial Day: Milei government denies the figure of 30 thousand missing during the military dictatorship in Argentina

The court ordered medical examinations “urgent” to decide whether the house arrest that most convicts enjoy will be revoked so that they can serve their sentence in prison.

The sentences are announced two days after the new anniversary of the coup d’etat perpetrated on March 24, 1976, remembered with marches across the country and a large demonstration in may Square under the motto “memory, truth and justice”.

The pits and hell

He judgment of the ‘wells’ exposed the events that took place in clandestine detention centers known as Banfield well, Well Quilmes It is Lanús Brigadethe latter called ‘hell’ because of the atrocities that were committed there against politically persecuted people.

The three worked under the supervision of the fearsome former director of the police of the province of Buenos Aires Miguel Etchecolatzalso accused in the case, but who died in prison at age 93, in July 2022, while serving nine life sentences.

In addition to Etchecolatz, five other defendants died during the trial and 12 received the sentence.

Of these, 10 were sentenced to life imprisonment, one to 25 years in prison and the rest were acquitted. The court’s grounds will be known on July 5th.

The court sentenced to life imprisonment Frederico Antonio Minicucci, Guilherme Matheu, Carlos Romero Pavón, Roberto Balmaceda, Gustavo Fontena, Jaime Lamont Smart, Jorge Héctor Di Pasquale, Juan Miguel Wolk, Horacio Luis Castillo and the police doctor Jorge Antonio Berges.

In turn, the former police officer Alberto Júlio Candiotti received a 25-year prison sentence and his comrade Agusuto Barré was acquitted.

MORE INFORMATION: Argentina signs intention to buy 24 F-16 fighters from Denmark for 300 million dollars

Judgment and punishment

To the Grandparents of Plaza de Mayothe organization that seeks grandchildren born under their mothers’ captivity, was a plaintiff along with seven restored grandchildren.

The Abuelas’ work made it possible to recover the identities of 133 grandchildren of the 400 that the organization estimates were taken during their mothers’ captivity.

“I’m happy, we are going through a difficult time in the country in relation to truth and memory and this is a great boost for us to continue demonstrating that there was a genocide with 30 thousand missing and that we need to find another 300 brothers“, he told AFP Maria Victoria Moyano Artigas45 years old, born in Pozo de Banfield during her mother’s captivity.

Another of the complainants, Pablo Diazis a survivor of the so-called’pencil night‘, when the dictatorship kidnapped 10 teenage students who were fighting for the student ticket. Six remain missing.

“Sentence has come for everyone involved, for those who killed us, tortured us and raped us at Banfield Pit.“, declared Díaz transferred to AFP. “Your judgment and punishment have arrived” he added.

Of the accused, with the exception of Di Pasquale who is in the military prison of May fieldthe rest were tried under house arrest, now under analysis.

Everyone heard the sentence remotely and were reprimanded numerous times by the court for turning off their cameras during the reading of the sentences, which lasted around five hours.

The courtroom was packed with family members of the victims and survivors who testified in the case. On the street, around 300 people watched the verdict being read over loudspeakers.

SEE TOO: Memorial Day: thousands of Argentines march for the victims of the military dictatorship

The sentences were celebrated with emotion with the cry of “Common prison for genocides, murderers, murderers!”. Some carried posters with photos of the victims and captions calling for justice.

“There are 30 thousand, it was genocide“, said one of the posters in relation to the number of victims left by the dictatorship, according to human rights organizations, a number that the far-right president’s government Javier Milei he questions.

With Tuesday’s verdict, a total of 1,184 people were sentenced in Argentina for crimes during the dictatorship, in 317 sentences across the country, while another 62 trials are still pending.

Source: Elcomercio

jack

I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.