Reynaldo Bignone Causa “Campo de Mayo” / Riveros, Santiago Omar y otros s/recurso de casación

This case summary is being revised and will be updated soon

Court	Federal Chamber of Criminal Appeals (Cámara Federal de Casación Penal), Argentina
Case number	2023, 2031, 2034 and 2043
Decision title	Appeals Decision
Decision date	7 December 2012
Parties	Santiago Omar Riveros Reynaldo Antonio Benito Bignone Fernando Exequiel Verplaetsen Osvaldo Jorge Garcia Carlos Alberto Roque Tependo Eugenio Guañabens Perello Germàn Américo Montenegro Public Prosecutor
Other names	Campo de Mayo (1)
Categories	Crimes against humanity
Keywords	crimes against humanity, murder, torture, Campo de Mayo, dictatorship, Dirty War, disappearances
Links	Appeals Decision (in Spanish)

Summary

Reynaldo Bignone, born in 1928, was the de facto president of Argentina from 1982 to 1983 and the last dictator to hold power in the country. As such, he was appointed by the military junta and sought to impose amnesty laws for perpetrators of gross human rights violations before transferring power to the democratically elected Raul Alfonsin. Nevertheless, in 2005 the Argentinean Supreme Court overturned these amnesties and opened the way for prosecutions of those involved in the country’s 1976-1983 “Dirty War”. Since then, Reynaldo Bignone was charged and convicted of crimes against humanity in several trials on the basis of his involvement in the Dirty War.

In the current appeals case, the sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment for his involvement in 56 cases of murder, torture, deprivation of liberty and illegal break-ins was affirmed. The prison sentences of 17-25 years, received by five other accused, were also affirmed except for one acquittal.

Procedural history

The first case is dealing with the crimes against humanity that had taken place at the Campo de Mayo began on 2 November 2009. On 20 April 2010, the Federal Criminal Oral Tribunal No. 1 of San Martín sentenced Reynaldo Bignone to 25 years’ imprisonment for his involvement in 56 cases of murder, torture, deprivation of liberty and illegal break-ins. Five other accused were also tried alongside Bignone, each receiving sentences ranging from 17-25 years, with one acquittal.

See also: Federal Criminal Oral Tribunal No1 of San Martín, Fundaments of Conviction, 18 May 2010

Legally relevant facts

Reynaldo Bignone, born in 1928, was the de facto president of Argentina from 1982 to 1983 and the last dictator to hold power in the country. As Argentina’s last dictator, Mr Bignone was appointed by the military junta and sought to impose amnesty laws for perpetrators of gross human rights violations before transferring power to the democratically elected Raul Alfonsin. Nevertheless, the amnesties were overturned in the Julio Héctor Simón case by the Argentinean Supreme Court, opening the way for prosecutions of those involved in the country’s 1976-1983 “Dirty War.” Since then Reynaldo Bignone was charged and convicted of crimes against humanity in several trials on the basis of his involvement in the Dirty War.

The “Campo de Mayo” was a military area outside of Buenos Aires, which between 1976 and 1980 was divided into four different secret detention and torture centres: El Campito, La Casita, La Prisión Militar de Encausados and El Hospital Militar. The area was under the control and command of the Command of Military Institutes (Comando de Institutos Militares), which was led by Reynaldo Bignone, among others.

Court's holding and analysis

The Federal Chamber of Criminal Appeals in its decision of 7 December 2012 confirmed the conviction and sentencing of Mr Bignone by the Federal Criminal Oral Tribunal.