Argentina’s judiciary yesterday sentenced ten former military and police officers to life in prison for crimes committed during the military dictatorship (1976-1983).
They were found guilty at their trial of murder, kidnapping, torture and rape.
The crimes were committed in the Campo de Mayo camp against 350 people, including pregnant women and employees of the German multinational Mercedes Benz.
The reading of the court’s unanimous verdict was watched by the defendants via video conference, while the room where the hearing took place was filled with relatives of the victims and members of human rights organizations.
Of the 350 victims, 14 were pregnant women whose children were stolen after birth.
A secret maternity hospital operated in Cabo de Mayo where illegally detained pregnant women gave birth in inhumane conditions before disappearing.
The Grandmothers of May Square organization estimates that during the military junta, 400 children were born in captivity and were illegally given to other families.
Of these, 130 managed to find their real identity and in many cases to meet members of their families.
The list of victims also includes several factory workers and trade unionists in the northern industrial zone of Buenos Aires, where Mercedes Benz and Ford car manufacturers operated.
The trial began in 2019 and was largely conducted remotely due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Initially the defendants were 22, but 2 died during the trial. Most of them had already been convicted in previous trials for crimes against humanity.
The general e.a. Santiago Riveros, 98, is the most senior officer to be sentenced to life in prison yesterday.
Santiago Riveros had only been sentenced to life in prison on Monday in another trial, along with three other soldiers, as they were involved in the “death flights”: it was about throwing drugged political prisoners into the sea from planes that took off from Cabo de Mayo.
The former “president” of the military junta, Reinaldo Biñon, who was the commander of this barracks – he died in 2018 – was also convicted of crimes committed in Cabo de Mayo.
Since junta trials resumed in the 2000s, after more than a decade of highly controversial amnesty measures and laws, 278 convictions have been handed down against some 1,070 people accused of crimes against humanity.
SOURCE: APE-ME
Source: Capital
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
