'Dirty War' witnesses in danger in Argentina

The murder this week of Silvia Suppo, a victim of rape during the 1976-1983 military dictatorship in Argentina, has fueled fears for the safety of key witnesses in human rights trials. Since trials for human rights abuses committed during the de facto regime got underway again five years ago, plaintiffs, judicial employees and especially witnesses have faced threats and intimidation. One witness, Jorge Julio López, went missing in 2006 shortly after he testified against a former police chief who ended up sentenced to life in prison on charges of genocide. The Justice Ministry has created a program to provide protection to 4,500 witnesses in the cases, which were reopened after two amnesty laws that had protected human rights violators were struck down. But many of the witnesses are torture survivors, and are reluctant to accept police custody or other drastic protective measures like moving away from their homes.