Trial for crimes against humanity in Uruguay ready for sentencing

The second trial in oral and public format on crimes against humanity committed during the civil-military dictatorship (1973-1985) is ready for sentencing in Uruguay, it was announced today.
 
The case is investigating what happened in the former Mechanized Infantry Battalion Number Six in San José (northwest of this capital) where a detention and torture center operated between 1975 and 1978.

The accused are military officers: Rubens Francia and Francisco Macalusso. Winston Puñales and Jose Antonio Hernandez were also accused, but they died during the trial.

These former members of the Argentinian army, who have been in preventive house arrest since June 2022, are accused of deprivation of liberty, abuse of authority and serious injuries against members of the Youth Communist Union of Uruguay.

The Special Prosecutor’s Office for Crimes against Humanity, led by Prosecutor Ricardo Perciballe, is requesting 12 and a half years in prison for both repressors.

The oral trial had four hearings this week in San Jose, in which eight witnesses, victims of State terrorism and who were detained in the aforementioned military unit, testified.

During their testimonies they gave an account of the aberrant treatment to which they were subjected, including electric prods, waterboarding and sexual abuse.

The date set by the judge in charge of the case for sentencing was June 1.