Argentina court convicts retired general, 4 others in 1976 killing during dictatorship
By APThursday, August 13, 2009
Argentina convicts ex-general in 1976 killing
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — A retired general and four other members of the military have been convicted and sentenced to long prison terms in the 1976 killing of a communist activist.
Retired Gen. Santiago Riveros was sentenced to life in prison for aggravated homicide by a three-judge federal court in Buenos Aires province during televised proceedings Wednesday.
Four other retired servicemen received prison sentences of 14 to 25 years in the killing of Floreal Avellaneda.
Avellaneda and his mother, Iris Pereyra, were abducted in 1976 by a military squad.
Pereyra was later released. Avellaneda’s body appeared across the Rio Plata in Uruguay.
A crackdown on dissent during Argentina’s 1976-83 dictatorship left at least 13,000 people killed or missing.
