Ex-dictator Reynaldo Bignone (Photo: Wikipedia)
Ex-general Santiago Omar Riveros, military doctor Norberto Atilio Bianco, and obstetrician Luisa Yolanda Arroche de Sala García were also convicted for their role in kidnapping at least eight babies born at a clandestine maternity ward at the military hospital in the Campo de Mayo base.
Another doctor, Eugenio Martin, was acquitted.
In the second major trial dealing specifically with the kidnapping of babies, Riveros received the longest sentenced of 30 years, after the court ruled that he was legal responsible for the “theft, holding, and hiding” of four babies born in captivity. Bignone was given 16 years for committing the same crime in the case of two babies.
Both had previous sentences from other cases that were added to yesterday’s verdict, with Riveros facing a life sentence and Bignone 25 years behind bars.
Dr Biano was handed 13 years for the same crimes, while Arroche de Sala García, the only civilian among the accused, was given seven years for falsifying birth certificates so that other couples could raise the abducted babies.
The prosecution had sought even tougher sentences, and said it would appeal the decision to absolve Dr Martin in what it called a very “rigid” interpretation of legal responsibility.
“If I am the authority at the Military Hospital [as Martin was] and there are pregnant women being held their illegally, who then give birth and have their children taken away, the responsibility is clear,” said lawyer for the prosecution Martín Niklison
The judges’ verdict, which will be released in full early next year, said that there was sufficient doubt in several of the cases and so the convictions were only found in the clearest cases.
“We believe the facts were proven: the women were kidnapped, and they were pregnant,” contested Niklison.
The Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo, which earlier this month celebrated the recovery of the 116th missing grandchild, acted as a plaintiff in the case.
The post Ex Dictator Bignone Among Four Convicted for Abduction of Babies appeared first on The Argentina Independent.