Argentine priest convicted in Dirty War trial, gets life sentence

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Argentine priest convicted in Dirty War trial, gets life sentence

Via NY Transfer News Collective All the News that Doesn't Fit

AP - Oct 8, 2007

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/ARGENTINA_DIRTY_WAR_TRIAL?SITE=WSAW&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Argentine priest convicted in Dirty War trial, gets life sentence

By MAYRA PERTOSSI

Associated Press Writer

LA PLATA, Argentina (AP) -- A Catholic priest accused in a series of

deaths and kidnappings during Argentina's Dirty War was convicted and

sentenced to life in prison Tuesday

Former police chaplain Christian von Wernich was found guilty of being

a "co-participant" with police in seven homicides, 31 torture cases and

42 kidnappings, ending a trial that has focused attention on the church

during the 1976-83 military rule.

Hundreds of people beat drums and set off fireworks outside the federal

courthouse after the verdict was announced. Dozens of spectators

cheered inside the packed courtroom including headscarved members of

rights group the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, who for the last 30

years have been seeking to learn the fate of sons and daughters who

disappeared during a crackdown on dissent.

"At last, at last! My God, it's a conviction!" said Tati Almeyda, of

the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo. "We never thought we'd see this day.

Justice has been served."

Von Wernich earlier in the day professed his innocence: "False

testimony is of the devil because he is responsible for malice and is

the father of evil and lies."

On Monday a prosecutor recommended a life prison sentence for von

Wernich, 69, saying the priest had been linked by survivors to at least

five clandestine detention camps in Buenos Aires province.

"Do people really understand what a clandestine torture center was? Do

people know all the terror that went on in those places?" prosecutor

Carlos Dulau said.

During months of trial, more than 70 witnesses testified and judges

toured former torture centers at police stations with survivors. The

dirty war officially left some 13,000 dead or missing, although human

rights groups have put the toll at nearly 30,000.

Defense lawyer Juan Martin Cerolini argued Tuesday that von Wernich as

a priest was obliged to visit police detention centers as part of his

duties. But Cerolini insisted that role did not mean von Wernich had

any part in a state crackdown.

Cerolini rejected survivor testimony suggesting von Wernich - who has

worn a bulletproof vest over his clerical collar during the trial -

conspired with police to help extract information from prisoners

subject to torture under the guise of giving them spiritual assistance.

"Von Wernich never kidnapped, tortured or killed anyone," Cerolini

said. He charged that the trial was unjust and that the government is

failing to prosecute "terrorist acts" committed by former leftist

rebels against state security forces.

Von Wernich said in his last words to the judges that he never violated

the priestly prohibition against revealing information obtained in the

Roman Catholic sacrament of confession.

"No priest of the Catholic church ... has ever violated this

sacrament," he said.

Argentina's Catholic Church, which withheld comment during the months

of trial, said on its Web site that it was "moved by the pain" brought

about by the priest's conviction for what constituted "serious crimes."

"We believe the steps taken by the justice system in clarifying events

(of the past) should serve us to renew the forces of all citizens on

the path to reconciliation," said the statement, which urged Argentines

to put away "hate and rancor."

The statement did not address public criticism surrounding the trial

that the church failed to vigorously defend human rights during the

dictatorship.

However, defenders of the church over the years have rejected such

charges, saying several priests and nuns were among those killed during

the junta years.

Activists said they hoped von Wernich's conviction would encourage

other courts to move forward with pending cases against scores of other

former security agents.

Critics say the disappearance of a key witness during last year's trial

of former police chief Miguel Etchecolatz has had a chilling effect on

efforts to prosecute those cases. Etchecolatz was convicted in

September 2006 in the same La Plata courthouse.

The trials came after the Supreme Court in 2005 annulled a pair of

1980s amnesty laws blocking prosecution of scores of former state

security agents or their civilian allies.

© 2007 The Associated Press.

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