Spanish court issues international arrest warrants, to be transmitted by way of Interpol, against 48 Argentine military commanders charged with genocide and torture.
By Equipo Nizkor.
In relation with the international arrest warrants (to be transmitted by way of Interpol) that have just been issued against 48 of the persons indicted by the Bill of Indictment corresponding to Case 19/97, dated November 2, 1999, issued by Investigative Court No. 5 (Juzgado Central de Instruccion No. 5) of the Spanish National Criminal Court (Audiencia Nacional), Equipo Nizkor wishes to reiterate certain points of its previous communique dated 08nov99.
[Full text of the judicial resolution dated 02nov99 ordering the prosecution and unconditional detention of 97 members of the military and a civil judge [ESP/SPA]. http://www.derechos.org/nizkor/arg/espana/gar.html]
1) This is the first time since the Nuremberg trials that multiple persons charged with serious crimes against humanity, including genocide, have been indicted in a civil court, without a prior UN Security Council determination on the said offenses, as had been the case in the ad-hoc tribunals.
2) The Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment will be applied for the first time in history, strengthening the International Criminal Jurisdiction that the said international instrument sets forth, for the arrest and prosecution of persons charged with such offenses. Recall that this was first applied for extradition purposes in the Pinochet case.
3) This writ also serves to define the term "criminal organization", referring to the organization, coordination, planning and execution of a common plan with criminal purposes, which in this case meant the illegal seizure of constitutional government and the systematic destruction of all those who opposed them. In this regard, one of the basic documents to consider is Operational Order 2/76 setting forth the operational aspects of the criminal plan.
The term "criminal organization" was considered in the Nuremberg Statute and subsequently developed by the "common plan" doctrine, from the judgments of several Nuremberg trials, including the SS Einsatzgruppen case.
4) This writ also uses the term "enforced disappearance" as provided by the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances, defining, in the civil courts, this permanent offense as a term of international law, making it possible for victims and their relatives to be treated as individual subjects of the law.
5) This writ is an application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948), in accordance with the interpretation given to this type of crime by the writ dated November 4, 1998, issued by the Audiencia Nacional. The court's jurisdiction vests in this Convention, along with the Law of the Judiciary (Ley Organica del Poder Judicial), reinforced by the application, as has been said, of the Convention against Torture. Also, the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights is cited as a source of law, since it obliges all States to put an effective criminal justice system at the disposal of their citizens .
6) This writ defines a list of approximately 600 victims of Spanish origin, along with the identification of their respective places of detention-disappearance; among these cases, we must emphasize, due to its cruelty, the assassination of the 16-year-old Spanish girl, Ana Cristina Corral in the Clandestine Detention Camp Arsenal Miguel de Azcuenaga, Tucuman - who was kidnaped, tortured and personally exectued by Antonio Domingo Bussi, an Argentine Army General.
In this regard the Spanish Judge makes explicit reference to Art. 5.1.c) of the Convention against Torture, which states: "Each State Party shall take such measures as may be necessary to establish its jurisdiction over the offenses referred to in Article 4 (...) c) when the victim is a national of that State if that State considers it appropiate". [Folio 217. Razonamiento Juridico Septimo. Auto de Procesamiento S. 19/97. 02nov9].
As a result, and in accordance with the "aut dedere aut judicare" rule established in Article 7, the Argentine judiciary is compelled either to prosecute the indicted persons or to hand them over to the Spanish court.
The dilemma of the State of Argentina and its judiciary is the same dilemma that was solved by Magistrate Bartle in the Pinochet case.
7) These aspects serve to strengthen European criminal jurisdiction, as envisaged by International Human Rights Law, to bring the responsible parties to trial before national courts, for offenses of international scope; this is something Human Rights activists have demanded for more than 20 years. Additionally, it demonstrates the principle of complementarity set forth in the Statute of the future International Criminal Court and facilitates the operation of the same. This procedure frees the Court from being overburdened by multiple cases or limited by the political will of the UN Security Council.
These are the principal aspects of this writ which coincide with positions Equipo Nizkor has defended from the beginning of the proceedings, which on some occasions have been contested as "non feasible", "untimely" and "inappropiate". This is why we welcome the legal basis of this resolution.
List of indicted persons included in the international arrest warrant, to be transmitted by way of INTERPOL.1) Jorge Rafael Videla Redondo, Tte General (RE)
Place of birth: Mercedes, Buenos Aires province; Date of birth: 2aug1925. Parents: Rafael Eugenio and Maria Olga; Argentine Identification Card: 4.765.426; Argentine Passport 2.456.573; Last known domicile: Avenida Cabildo 639, planta 5A, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Married to: Raquel Hartridge.
2) Emilio Eduardo Massera, Almirante (RE)
Place of birt: Parana, Entre Rios province, Date of birth: 19oct1925; Parents: Emilio and Paula; Argentine Identification Card: 5.108.651; Argentine passport: 2.565.263. Married to: Delia Esther Vieyra.
3) Omar Domingo Rubens Graffigna, Brigadier General (RE)
Date of birth: 2apr1926; Parents: Domingo Alfonso and Maria; Argentine Identification Card: 4.769.947 and Argentine Passport 6.106.426; Domicile: calle Teodoro Garcia 2256 o 2259, Planta 3, Buenos Aires (Argentina). Second last name: Pozzi.
4) Armando Lambruschini della Valle, Almirante (RE)
Date of birth: 15jun1924; Parents: Juan and Ana Maria; Argentine Identification Card: 5.102.262 and Argentine Passport 2.005.953; domicile: calle Jorge Newbery 1567 planta 6 and Avda. del Libertador 2286, Buenos Aires (Argentina)
5) Leopoldo Fortunato Galtieri, Tte Gral (RE)
Date of birth: 15jul1926, in Casero (Bs As); Parents: Francisco Rosario and Maria Victoria; Argentine Identification Card 4.771.350 and Argentine Passport 2.404.353; domicile: calle Chivilcoy 3102 planta 1, Buenos Aires (Argentina). Married to: Noemi Lucia Gentili. He entered the National Military College on 1feb1943; General Staff Commander-in-Chief, Engineers Army. Retired on 18feb1982.
6) Jorge Isaac Anaya, Almte (RE)
Place of birth: Bahia Blanca (Bs As Province); Date of birth: 27sep1926; Argentine Identification Card 5.427.047 and domicile: Arenales 2039 planta 5, Puerta B, Buenos Aires.
7) Basilio Arturo Ignacio Lami Dozo, Brigadier General (RE)
Date of birth: 1feb1929; Parents: Jesus Maria and Carmen Dora; Argentine Identification Card 6.463.857 and Argentine Passport 5.870.684; Domicile: calle Madame Curie 445, San Isidro, Buenos Aires.
8) Carlos Guillermo Suarez Mason (alias "Pajarito" (Little Bird) and "Sam"), Gral de Division and Former Chief of Intelligence of the 601 Battalion which operated in Argentina, Honduras, Panama, Guatemala and El Salvador.
Place of birth: Buenos Aires; Date of birth: 24jan1924; Argentine Identification Card: 7.827.809 and Argentine Passport 4.756.950; Domicile: calle O'Higgins 1754, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
9) Jorge Olivera Rovere, Gral de Brigada (RE)
Date of birth: 14mar1926; Place of birth: Cordoba (Argentina); Argentine Identification Card or Passport: 4.769.910; Domicile: Callao 1460, Buenos Aires. He entered the National Military College on 1feb1943. Army General Staff Officer, Communications Army.
10) Antonio Domingo Bussi, General de Division (RE)
Date of birth: 17ene1926; Place of birth: Victoria, Entre Rios Province; Argentine Identification Card or Argentine Passport: 5.889.828; Married to: Josefina Bigolio; Domicile: Laprida 853 de San Miguel de Tucuman. He entered the Military College on 25feb44. Army General Staff Officer, Infantry Army. Retired on 4jan82.
11) Ramon Genaro Diaz Bessone, General de Division (RE)
Place of birth: Mendoza; Date of birth: 27oct1925; Parents: Ramon Genaro and Teresa Clara; Argentine Identification Card 4.765.412 and Argentine Passport 5.564.259; Domicile: calle Uruguay 1064, Planta 5 Puerta B y Azopardo 250, Buenos Aires. He entered the National Military College on 1feb43. Army General Staff Officer, Artillery Army. Retired on 16mar78.
12) Luciano Adolfo Jauregui, General de Division (RE)
Place of birth: La Pampa; Date of birth: 31may1926; Parents: Luciano Ambrosio and Mercedes Rosalia; Argentine Identification Card 4.769.999 and Argentine Passport 5.965.442; domicile: Federico Lacroze 1850 Planta 3, Puerta B, Buenos Aires. He entered the National Military College on 2aug43. Army General Staff Officer, Cavalry Army. Retired on 5jan81
13) Juan Carlos Ricardo Trimarco, General de Division (RE)
Date of birth: 27mar1925; Place of birth: Cordoba Province; Argentine Identification Card 4.462.635; Domicile: Avda Luis Maria Campos 152, Buenos Aires. He entered the National Military College on 25feb44. Army General Staff Officer, Cavalry Army. Retired on 7dic83.
14) Luciano Benjamin Menendez, General de Division (RE)
Place of birth: San Martin, Bs As Province; Date of birth: 19jun1927; Parents: Jose Maria and Carolina; Argentine Identification Card: 4.777.189 and Argentine Passport: 2.420.100; Domicile: calle Dos 1733 de Bajo Belgrano, Cordoba Province. He entered the National Military College on 1feb43. Army General Staff Officer, Cavalry Army. Retired on 4cot79.
15) Jose Antonio Vaquero, General de Division (RE)
Date of birth: 19dic1924; Place of birth: Cordoba Province; Argentine Identification Card 5.605.507; Domicile: calle M. Fontana 1857. San Isidro, Buenos Aires. He entered the National Military College on 2aug43. Army General Staff Officer, Infantry Army. Retired on 18jun82
16) Jorge Eduardo Acosta Aubone, Capitan de Corbeta (RE) Alias "el Tigre"
Date of birth: 27may1941; Argentine Identification Card: 5.190.338; Married to: Maria Elena Carrera; Domicile: calle Peru 263 de Buenos Aires. Currently serving prison term in Argentina after having been charged with children robbery.
17) Jorge Rafael Vildoza Ostini, Capitan de Fragata (RE)
Date of birth: 19jul30; Argentine Identification Card 4.240.344; Domicile: calle Dorrego 2735, Buenos Aires.
18) Luis Maria Mendia, Contralmirante (RE)
Date of birth: 1925; Argentine Identification Card 5.106.191; Domicile: calle Guido 1571, Buenos Aires.
19) Jorge Enrique Perren Fernandez, Capitan de Corbeta (RE)
Place of birth: Buenos Aires, Date of birth: 9oct1939; Parents: Jorge Enrique and Maria Concepcion; Argentine Identification Card 5.179.275 and Argentine Passport 4.734.745; Domicile: calle Ingeniero Marconi 3495, Beccar, Buenos Aires.
20) Ruben Oscar Franco, Almirante (RE)
Date of birth: 8aug1927; Argentine ID documents: 2.536.742 and 5.115.922; Domicile: calle Austria 1754, 7 piso, Dpto 18, Buenos Aires.
21) Alfredo Ignacio Astiz, Teniente de Fragata (RE), alias "Cuervo", "Angel Rubio" and "Gonzalo"
Place of birth: Azul, Buenos Aires Province; Date of birth: 17nov1950; Argentine Passport 2.010 and domicile in calle Lavalle 3762 de Mar del Plata.
22) Antonio Pernias Basterreix, Teniente de Navio (RE)
Place of birth: Cordoba (Argentina); Date of birth: 17dic1946; Parents: Salvador and Magdalena; Argentine Identification Card 8.351.107 and Argentine Passport 6.784.528; Domicil: calle Maipu 701, San Fernando y in Puerto Belgrano casa 47, Punta Alta, partido Cnel de Marina L. Rosales.
23) Juan Carlos Rolon Tassier, Teniente de Navio (RE), alias "Ninho" and "Juan"
Place of birth: La Plata (Bs As Province); Date of birth: 6oct1948; Parents: Eduardo Walter and Marta Susana; Argentine ID Card: 5.400.031; Domicile: calle Soldado de la Independencia 143, Buenos Aires.
24) Pablo Eduardo Garcia Velazco
Place of birth: Ramos Mejia, Buenos Aires; Date of birth: 10nov1946; Parents: Pablo and Hortensia Joaquina; Argentine ID Card: 4.555.728 and Argentine Passport 5.476.047; Domicile: calle Monteagudo 39, Ramos Mejia y calle Junin 917, Buenos Aires.
25) Francis William Whamond Sola, Capitan de Corbeta (RE)
Date of birth: 10feb1930; Parents: James and Magdalena; Argentine Identification Card 5.127.616 and Argentine Passport 3.496.193; Domicile en Avenida Congreso 3896, Planta 8, Puerta B, Buenos Aires.
26) Adolfo Miguel Donda Tigel, Teniente de Navio
Place of birth: Diamante, Entre Rios Province; Date of birth: 1jun46; Parents: Adolfo and Catalina; Argentine Identification Card 8354.054 and Argentine Passport 5.885.710; Domicile: calle Tres Sargentos 1435, 1D Martinez y Escuela Naval Rio Santiago, Ensenada, Buenos Aires.
27) Carlos Octavio Capdevilla, Capitan Medico
Place of birth el 5jun1946, con Argentine Identification Card 7.991.075 con domiciles en Arsenal Naval Azopardo, Azul, Buenos Aires and Casa 90, Base Naval de Puerto Belgrano, Punta Alta, Partido Coronel de Marina L. Rosales.
28) Juan Carlos Coronel, Coronel (RE)
Place of birth: Santiago del Estero; Date of birth: 30oct1942; He entered the National Military College on 8mar62. Military Engineer Officer, Artillery Army. Retired on 31ago92
29) Nestor Enrique Weber Olmos-Cardenas, Subcomisario
Date of birth: 23aug1922; Parents: Ricardo Juan Augusto and Amanda; Argentine Identification Card 2.307.886 and Argentine Passport 10.636.278; Domicile: calle Cuarenta y ocho 614, Planta 4, Puerta A, La Plata, Buenos Aires.
30) Hector Antonio Febres Mendez, Subprefecto
Date of birth: 10sep1941; Parents: Carlos Buenaventura y Edelmira; Argentine Identification Card 4.577.946 and Argentine Passport 8.674.928; Domicile: calle Angel J. Carranza 1551, Planta Baja, Puerta A, Buenos Aires.
31) Juan Antonio Azic, Aydte primer de la Prefectura Naval
Date of birth: 12sep41; Parents: Mateo and Maria; Argentine Identification Card 7.717.537 and Argentine Passport 5.042.797; Domicile: calle Bouchard 4548, Lanus Este y Teniente General Peron 40, Buenos Aires.
32) Juan Orlando Rolon, Coronel (RE)
Date of birth: 6oct48; Argentine Identification Card 3.171.577 and domicile in calle Grand Bourg 4101, Santa Fe, Argentina.
33) Juan Santiago Martella, General de Division (RE)
Date of birth: 11mar1928 , in Buenos Aires; Argentine Identification Card 4.781.865; Domicile: calle Mendoza 2246, Buenos Aires. He entered thel National Military College on 12mar45. Army General Staff Officer, Infantry Army. Retired on 31dic83.
34) Fernando Humberto Santiago, General de Brigada (RE)
Place of birth: Cordoba; Date of birth: 19jun1926; He entered the National Military College on 1aug43. Army General Staff Officer, Artillery Army. Retired on 27nov79.
35) Jorge Antonio (or Alberto) Maradona Jofre, General de Brigada (RE)
Date of birth: 1apr1927 in San Juan; Argentine Identification Card 4.775.199 and Argentine Passport 7.511.676; Domicile: calle La Pampa 2477, Planta 15, Puerta C, Buenos Aires. He entered the National Military College on 1mar44. Army General Staff Officer, Artillery Army; Retired on 4oct79.
36) Alberto Luis Cattaneo, General de Brigada (RE)
Place of birth: Cordoba (Argentina), on 4apr1929; He entered the National Military College on 12mar45. Army General Staff Officer, Infantry Army. Retired on 8nov77
37) Eugenio Antonio Barrozo o Barroso, Coronel (RE)
Place of birth: Catamarca (Argentina), on 25may1923; He entered the National Military College on 20feb47. Military Engineer Officer, Infantry Army. Retired on 3jan80.
38) Albino Mario Alberto Zimmerman Theler, Coronel (RE)
Date of birth: 15sep33; Parents: Guillermo and Mercedes; Argentine Identification Card 4.828.303, and Argentine Passport 7.522.648; Domicile: Avenida Ricchieri 425, Bella Vista, Buenos Aires. He entered the National Military College on 1mar50. Army General Staff Officer, Artillery Army. Retired on1dec87.
39) Antonio Arrechea Andrade
Place of birth: Brasil, on 10sep1929; Parents: Alfonso and Laureana; Argentine Identification Card 4.794.030 and Argentine Passport 7.013.222; Domicile: calle Jose Hernandez 2200, Planta 1, Puerta B, Buenos Aires y Col Andresito Lote 21, Misiones (Arg). He entered the National Military College on 1apr47. Army General Staff Officer and Army Intelligence Officer, Cavalry Army. Retired on 22ene82.
40) Mario Arturo Caffarena Sese, Teniente Coronel (RE)
Date of birth: 30sep1931 in Cordoba, Argentina; Argentine Identification Card 4.075.322 and Argentine Passport 2.748.137; Domicile: calle Arcos 1745, Planta 7B, Buenos Aires. He entered the National Military College on 1mar50. Army General Staff Officer, Infantry Army. Retired on 28feb80
41) Luis Ricardo Rizo Avellaneda, Teniente Coronel (RE)
Place of birth: Tucuman (Arg), on 29oct1938; Argentine Identification Card 7.071.409; Domicile: 33 and Pedro de Mendoza 3, San Isidro, Buenos Aires. He entered the National Military College on 15feb56. Engineers Army. Retired on 31dec86
42) Roberto Heriberto Alplace of birthoz, Inspector General
Place of birth: San Miguel de Tucuman, on 20nov1931; Parents: Juan Roberto and Orfilia; Argentine Identification Card 4.073.811; Domicile: calle Cuba 2955, Buenos Aires y calle Martin Fierro 541, Banda del Rio Sali, Departamento Cruz Alta, Tucuman.
43) Augusto Leonardo Neme
Place of birth: Santiago del Estero, on 19sep1937; Parents: Nadim and Rosa; Argentine Identification Card 4.862.449 and Argentine Passport 7.585.416; Domicile: calle Zabala 2465 Planta 4, Puerta A, Buenos Aires. He entered the National Military College on 15feb55. Army General Staff Officer, Infantry Army. Retired on 30nov91
44) Hector Mario Schwab, Teniente Coronel
Place of birth: 16jun46; Argentine Identification Card 8.097.470; Domicile: Luis Maria Campos 980, Buenos Aires. He entered the Military College on 15feb62. Army General Staff Officer, Infantry Army.
45) Arturo Felix Gonzalez Naanda, Teniente Coronel (RE)
Place of birth: Cordoba (Arg) on 8apr46; Argentine Identification Card 4.542.424; Domicile: calle Santa Fe 2069, Buenos Aires. He entered the National Military College on 19ene64. Army General Staff Officer, Infantry Army. Discharged on 5feb88
46) Carlos Eduardo Daviou
Argentine Identification Card 5.222.021; Place of birth: Capital Federal Buenos Aires on 3oct47; Domicile: calle Bustamante 1046, piso 2 G, Buenos Aires.
47) Carlos Jose Pazo, Capitan de Corbeta (RE)
Place of birth: Buenos Aires (Arg) on 1dec1939; Argentine ID card 4.878.751; Domicile: calle Ramon Castro 2854, Vicente Lopez, Buenos Aires.
48) Gonzalo Dalma Torres de Tolosa
Date of birth: 1944; Argentine Identification Card 4.513.627; Domicile: calle Uruguay 634, 1B, Buenos Aires.
Source: Equipo Nizkor. 04jan00
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