Catholic Priest convicted for kidnapping, murder and torture
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Wednesday October 10, 2007 18:09
by Guy de Cervens
The first Argentinean Roman Catholic priest charged with killings, torture and kidnapping was convicted and sentenced to life on Tuesday. Father Christian von Wernich was convicted on all counts: 7 murders, 31 cases of torture and 42 kidnappings between 1976 and 1983 when the military ran Argentina with the support of the Catholic Church.
Over 70 witnesses testified that Father von Wernich conspired with police to help extract information from prisoners under the guise of giving them spiritual assistance. Father Von Wernich was linked to at least five detention camps in Buenos Aires where clandestine torture and murder was carried out.
Father Von Wernich also denied revealing information obtained in confession even though he had. He professed his innocence in the face of overwhelming evidence and pleaded with the judge to reprieve him.
13,000 people are officially listed as dead or missing during the dictatorship but human rights groups have put the number at 30,000.
Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo
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