Argentine judge, first to refer to 1970s Dirty War as genocide, forced to resign by Macri gov't.

[forest444]

Last edited Sun Oct 23, 2016, 07:11 PM - Edit history (1)

Argentine Federal Judge Carlos Rozanski, best known for presiding the 2006 trial of convicted Dirty War murderer Miguel Etchecolatz, submitted his resignation last Thursday. While reading Etchecolatz's sentencing Judge Rozanski became the first magistrate in Argentina to refer to the 1975-79 Dirty War, during which up to 30,000 dissidents disappeared, as a "genocide."

Judge Rozanski resigned amid an investigation ordered by the Disciplinary and Prosecutorial Commission of the Council of Magistrates for alleged abuse of authority, falsification of public documents, and prevarication. The Council of Magistrates is controlled by President Mauricio Macri's right-wing "Let's Change" alliance.

The investigation follows a complaint by the longtime head of the Judicial Employees' Union, Julio Piumato. Rozanski's attorney, Eduardo Barcesat, noted however that the complaint had been previously filed and found without merit.

"The complaint," Barcesat alleged, "is being revived with the administration's connivance in order to roll back the trials for crimes against humanity currently being presided over by Judge Rozanski. Rozanski had been denouncing ongoing intimidation on the part of the Council of Magistrates and the country's powerful right-wing media since President Macri took office in December.

Rozanski, 65, has presided over the First District Federal Court of La Plata (30 miles SE of Buenos Aires) since 2000. He rose to international prominence during the 2006 trial of former Buenos Aires Province Police Inspector Miguel Etchecolatz, who on September 19 of that year became only the second officer convicted of crimes against humanity after President Néstor Kirchner's signature of a bill rescinding amnesty for such perpetrators in 2003.

The Etchecolatz case has been marked by repeated cases of intimidation against not only the judge, but numerous witnesses as well - notably the late Jorge Julio López, who disappeared the day before Etchecolatz's sentencing to life in prison. More recently, the National Penitentiary Service physician who determined that there were no medical grounds to grant Etchecolatz house arrest, Dr. Virginia Creimer, found her dog stabbed to death in her garden; the bloody knife was left by her front door.

Ten days later, on August 20, a La Plata tribunal granted Etchecolatz house arrest - a ruling condemned by local and international human rights associations.

A scam

At least 36 Dirty War convicts have been granted house arrest since Macri, who described human rights as "a scam" during his 2015 campaign, took office. The pace of prosecutions has likewise slowed dramatically since then.

This approach was further underscored by Defense Minister Julio Martínez's decision to allow Dirty War convicts to be treated in military hospitals (which had been banned due to a numerous escape attempts), as well as by revelations that Justice Minister Germán Garavano had held secret talks in April with Argentina's leading Dirty War apologist, Cecilia Pando.

These developments mark a sharp departure from the Kirchner era, when 2,389 officers were accused, 1,132 arrested, and 681 convicted - marking the first time in world history that human rights abuses were systematically prosecuted (rather than a few top officials).

At: https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://www.politicargentina.com/notas/201610/17290-despues-de-denunciar-presiones-renuncio-el-juez-federal-que-condeno-a-etchecolatz.html&prev=search

And: https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.resumenlatinoamericano.org%2F2016%2F08%2F15%2Fargentina-mataron-al-perro-de-la-medica-que-reviso-al-genocida-etchecolatz-convocan-nueva-concentracion-para-rechazar-prision-domiciliaria%2F

[Judi Lynn]

1. There's no way to misread Macri's intentions by now. His criminality is even more conspicuous.

His entire realm of fascists are stepping into the light, with no fear whatsoever anyone can stop them.

Dirty War all over again.

Clearly they believe they will have total US support, as well as the support of formerly more civilized countries turning fascist, too, for the moment. The big jump to the right seems easy to spot. As it didn't last before, it won't last this time either.

These ####s can't control the world for too long, the people simply won't allow it. Meanwhile, they attempt to get bigger and better weapons, and that's just for domestic use against protesters and other political "enemies" who hate ignorant, slimy, greedy murderers and liars.

It WILL fail, but it appears Macri intends to do a whole lot of damage to the human race before he's gone. What a shame.

Rotten news, yet you are so kind to let us know about it, forest444. We all know we won't be hearing this from US corporate "news" sources.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Wanted to add information found in an article mentioning this judge:

Argentina and Genocide Prevention Today

New York, Oct. 20 – Since the repeal of amnesty laws in 2003, Argentina has reopened trials against those responsible for murder, torture, rape, abduction, and kidnapping during the country’s 1976–1983 ” Dirty War .”

“Processes of Justice: The Argentine Experience,” a two-day conference held in New York, saw federal judges and prosecutors involved in the trials, and senior officials from the Secretariat of Human Rights , discuss this important and gripping process.

On Day 1, panelists revisited the “atmosphere of terror” that existed under Argentina’s military junta. As Secretary for Human Rights Eduardo Luis Duhalde described, there were “massive yet selective” lists of social, political and student activists drawn up, anyone who was “critical of the process” that brought the dictatorship to power. Attorneys, journalists, and psychologists too were arrested, and eventually “disappeared” via clandestine detention centers whose “product was horror.”
. . .

Noting the presence of Nazi paraphernalia in the Argentinean military dictatorship’s detention centers and the fact that some torturers even played Hitler speeches as they tormented their victims, Judge Rafecas noted similarities and differences between Argentina’s Dirty War and the Jewish Holocaust. Unlike the large and relatively open yet secluded concentration camps operated by the Nazis during World War II, the detention centers of Argentina’s junta were small and hidden, but in locations that people went by every single day.

http://www.auschwitzinstitute.org/news/argentina-genprev-conference/

[forest444]

3. Momentous. You know you're doing the right thing when the Auschwitz Institute cites your work.

Thank you for that, Judi.

And wouldn't you know it, the Macri administration is pushing very hard to oust Judge Daniel Rafecas - whom right-wing trolls always refer to as "Rafekas" on account of his supposed (but nonexistent) closeness to Kirchnerists.

They've tried everything: first their old standby, the headline-ready "denunciation" (which in Argentina requires no proof at all, and is thus frequently used to smear anyone whom the Clarín Group dislikes); followed by organized social media attacks. This judge shows no sign of backing down though - nor should he.

Thanks again! Have a good week, Judi.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Horrific to learn they are also going after this judge, Rafecas, as well!

He's someone who knows how their people think, and act. He can't be allowed to remain free.

How much more does it take for a dictatorship to be known for what it is? A lot of these fascist arrangements have operated for far too long before the people somehow found a way to shut them down. They operated with total approval and support of the largest country, too, the country which boasts of its extraordinary virtue and goodness. Sheesh.

Hope your week will be excellent, forest444. Things are getting very strange as Halloween approaches!