Reed Brody of Human Rights Watch discusses the criminal verdict against crusading Spanish investigative judge Baltazar Garzón, the man who tried to put Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet behind bars –
Brody and other human rights activists are concerned that the trial of Garzón has gravely damaged the doctrine of universal jurisdiction by sending a strong message to other judges not to make waves.
In an interesting turn-around, a court in Argentina has begun investigating human rights crimes committed in Spain during the Franco dictatorship. It’s a turn-around because in the past Spanish prosecutors have carried out high-profile investigations into crimes committed in Argentina during the “dirty war” period, including a case that ended in a 640-year sentence for the alleged perpetrator of crimes against humanity.
According to the article, human rights organizations estimate that some 113,000 people were forcibly disappeared during Spain’s civil war (1936-39) and the Franco dictatorship.
International Justice 