Argentine judge is asked to interview Franco’s victims
The plaintiffs in the case against Franco’s repression that is being handled by the Argentine courts (see previous Volunteer coverage here) have requested that the judge, María Servini de Cubría, travel to Spain to interview victims of Franco’s repression, allowing them to testify. The plaintiffs have also presented a response to the report issued by the Spanish government in it claims that Spain is actively investigating the human rights violations committed under the Franco regime. The government’s claim is based on Judge Baltasar Garzón’s attempts three years ago to initiate a judicial investigation of these crimes–attempts that have been stymied, and in fact led to Garzón’s suspension. The point is an important one, given that the universal justice doctrine would only allow a non-Spanish court to investigate Spanish crimes if Spain itself is not investigating them. For more, see coverage in the Argentine paper Página12, Europa Press, and a recent ALBA editorial on Garzón’s legacy.
