Ford Argentina Former Execs on Trial for Human Rights Crimes

Two former Ford executives, accused of helping the Argentine military to kidnap and torture workers, are now before the court.

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Former Ford factory director Pedro Muller and ex-security manager Hector Francisco Jesus Sibilla were due to appear in the San Martin Federal Criminal Court on Tuesday to face the charges levied against them, according to Argentina's Telam press agency.

Pedro Müller was the manufacture manager of the Ford plant in General Pacheco, Argentina, while Francisco Sibilla was head of security.

The case details collusion between the two businessmen and the security forces during the country's 1976-1983 dictatorship, DW reports. According to the prosecution, the men are accused of conspiring against union workers at the Ford factory, providing names, ID numbers, photographs and home addresses to military officials.

The allegations are that the information provided to the Argentine forces resulted in the abduction of 24 employees, some union members, from the motor company's factory.

Jorge Constanzo, who was 25 years old at the time, was taken within the first few hours of a military coup. “I feel like I'm going back to live, we've waited a long time for this,” Constanzo told El Pais.

All the victims were allegedly subjected to hours of torture, electric shocks and interrogation at the factory's premises, prior to being removed to military prisons.

“They tortured us for more than 11 hours, we went there at 11:30 in the morning and we left at 11 pm We were continuously under torture,” said former union activist Carlos Propato, who recalled being kicked, beaten, tied with a wire and thrown in the trunk of a truck.

Former general Santiago Omar Riveros is also on trial.

This marks the first time in Argentina's history that executives of a multinational company are being tried for humanitarian crimes.

El Pais reported that Ford Motor Argentina decline to commit.

Since 2006, more than 2,700 people have been charged with crimes against humanity and nearly 800 have been convicted, El Pais reported.