ARGENTINA: Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo announce backing from the Association of Lawyers for their habeas corpus in the disbarred Spaniard's defence

Record ID: 446817

  • Title: ARGENTINA: Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo announce backing from the Association of Lawyers for their habeas corpus in the disbarred Spaniard's defence
  • Date: 17th February 2012
  • Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (FEBRUARY 16, 2012) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF PLAZA DE MAYO FLAG FOR THE ARGENTINE HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP, THE MOTHERS OF PLAZA DE MAYO VARIOUS OF PRESIDENT OF THE MOTHERS OF PLAZA DE MAYO, HEBE DE BONAFINI, ARRIVING TO HOLD GATHERING IN SUPPORT OF DISBARRED SPANISH JUDGE BALTASAR GARZON VARIOUS OF PUBLIC CHANTING IN SUPPORT OF MOTHERS' MARCH VARIOUS OF MOTHERS WALKING AROUND THE PLAZA WITH BANNERS IN SUPPORT OF GARZON VARIOUS OF PUBLIC SIGNING PETITION FOR WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS TO BE PRESENTED IN EUROPEAN COURT IN GARZON'S DEFENCE MOTHERS WEARING ICONIC HEADSCARVES (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRESIDENT OF MOTHERS OF PLAZA DE MAYO, HEBE DE BONAFINI, SAYING: "Today's march is for judge Garzon, in solidarity with him. But we have some really wonderful news for you. In a meeting, the Association of Lawyers has unanimously agreed to support the Mothers' project and they are going to accompany us in Spain." MOTHERS APPLAUDING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) HEBE DE BONAFINI, SAYING: "Everyone that wants to sign can sign. In two more days, we are going to send it. We are going to present it to a European citizen because we cannot present it ourselves. His name is Renato di Nicola and he's a member of the Italian group Solidarity with the Mothers [of Plaza de Mayo], and he will present it in Strasbourg." MOTHERS SIGNING VARIOUS OF PUBLIC SIGNING
  • Embargoed: 3rd March 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina, Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA9UHYE20HO964VNQU67XWJBIK4
  • Story Text: Argentine human rights group the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo staged a protest in Buenos Aires on Friday (February 16), calling for disbarred Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon to be reinstated.
    The group is preparing a petition for a writ of habeas corpus, which will be presented in a European court in defence of crusading Garzon, who was disbarred for 11 years by Spain's Supreme Court on Thursday (February 9).
    Garzon, a world-renowned human rights lawyer, has been accused of authorising police to record conversations between defence lawyers and their clients in a corruption case.
    The President of the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, Hebe de Bonafini, used the occasion to announce some good news for their campaign.
    "Today's march is for judge Garzon, in solidarity with him. But we have some really wonderful news for you. In a meeting, the Association of Lawyers has unanimously agreed to support the Mothers' project and they are going to accompany us in Spain," said Bonafini.
    Members of the public were encouraged to sign their petition.
    "Everyone that wants to sign can sign. In two more days, we are going to send it. We are going to present it to a European citizen because we cannot present it ourselves. His name is Renato di Nicola and he's a member of the Italian group Solidarity with the Mothers [of Plaza de Mayo], and he will present it in Strasbourg," said Bonafini.
    Garzon is widely admired in Argentina for work that resulted in the sentencing of Adolfo Scilingo, an Argentine former navy captain, to 640 years in jail in April 2005 for crimes against humanity during Argentina's Dirty War.
    He also made headlines worldwide in 1998 for using international human rights law to order the arrest in London of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet.
    Garzon is on trial in two more cases, one for allegedly abusing his authority by ordering an inquiry into the murder and forced disappearance of more than 100,000 people by forces loyal to late Spanish dictator Francisco Franco.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register