A Court Convicts 16 Repressors of Argentina's Dictatorship Rule

On Wednesday, a court in La Plata province convicted 16 people implicated in crimes committed at San Justo Brigade's clandestine detention center during the Argentine dictatorship rule (1976-1983).

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Members of the police forces and the army were held accountable for kidnappings, torture, sexual harassment, and other crimes against 84 victims.

Buenos Aires Police's former Investigation Chief Miguel Osvaldo Etchecolatz, the ex-Minister of Government Jaime Smart, and 8 other security forces officials were sentenced to life imprisonment.

A sentence of 25 years in prison was also imposed on six other repressors, while former police officer Roberto Felix was acquitted.

The judges also ordered that the San Justo Brigade be transformed into a "Memory Space," which is a request from the relatives of the victims of the dictatorship.

The debate about the crimes began in August 2018 and included as one of the accused Buenos Aires former Secretary of the Government Juan Maria Torino, who died before the end of the trial.

"Reaching the sentence clearly demonstrates that the Argentine people have a memory... we have not been defeated. The ideals of over 30,000 victims are more alive and in force than ever," supporters of the Grandmothers of May Square said.