Last Thursday, for the first time ever, a clergyman of the Catholic Church faced charges in connection with repression carried out under Argentina?s so-called ?Dirty War.? Christian Von Wernich, a former police chaplain to the Buenos Aires provincial police force, stands accused of being involved in seven murders and 41 cases of kidnapping and torture. The crimes Von Wernich is accused of were committed during the 1976-1983 military dictatorship in Argentina. An estimated 30,000 people were killed during the military junta?s reign of terror. As his trial began, hundreds of human rights activists stood outside the courtroom in the city of La Plata to decry Von Wernich as a murderer. President Nestor Kirchner traveled to La Plata and said during a speech that Von Wernich ?brought dishonor to the Church, to poor people and to human rights.? The accused clergyman refused to testify, or answer questions on the first day of trial. More than 100 witnesses, under tight security, are expected to testify against Christian Von Wernich.
Last Thursday, for the first time ever, a clergyman of the Catholic Church faced charges in connection with repression carried out under Argentina?s so-called ?Dirty War.? Christian Von Wernich, a former police chaplain to the Buenos Aires provincial police force, stands accused of being involved in seven murders and 41 cases of kidnapping and torture. The crimes Von Wernich is accused of were committed during the 1976-1983 military dictatorship in Argentina. An estimated 30,000 people were killed during the military junta?s reign of terror. As his trial began, hundreds of human rights activists stood outside the courtroom in the city of La Plata to decry Von Wernich as a murderer. President Nestor Kirchner traveled to La Plata and said during a speech that Von Wernich ?brought dishonor to the Church, to poor people and to human rights.? The accused clergyman refused to testify, or answer questions on the first day of trial. More than 100 witnesses, under tight security, are expected to testify against Christian Von Wernich.
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Piece Description
Last Thursday, for the first time ever, a clergyman of the Catholic Church faced charges in connection with repression carried out under Argentina?s so-called ?Dirty War.? Christian Von Wernich, a former police chaplain to the Buenos Aires provincial police force, stands accused of being involved in seven murders and 41 cases of kidnapping and torture. The crimes Von Wernich is accused of were committed during the 1976-1983 military dictatorship in Argentina. An estimated 30,000 people were killed during the military junta?s reign of terror. As his trial began, hundreds of human rights activists stood outside the courtroom in the city of La Plata to decry Von Wernich as a murderer. President Nestor Kirchner traveled to La Plata and said during a speech that Von Wernich ?brought dishonor to the Church, to poor people and to human rights.? The accused clergyman refused to testify, or answer questions on the first day of trial. More than 100 witnesses, under tight security, are expected to testify against Christian Von Wernich.
Broadcast History
Broadcast on Free Speech Radio News. July 6, 2007
Transcript
A much awaited human rights abuse trial is underway in Argentina. The accused is a catholic priest charged with carrying out human rights abuses while working in several clandestine detention centers during the nation's 1976 to 1983 military dictatorship. The priest has been under arrest for 4 years ago while living under a false alias in Chile.
This is the latest human rights trial of accused torturer since the landmark conviction of a former police officer for genocide in 2006.
Former Chaplin Christian Von Wernich wore a priest's collar and bullet proof vest as he sat behind reinforced glass in a federal court. The court clerk read charges accusing him of collaborating with state security agents and covering up crimes in seven deaths, 31 cases of torture and 42 cases of illegal imprisonment. He answered basic court questions but refused to testify in the case, ?Following the ad...
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