Italy refuses to extradite the scandalous priest to Argentina
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Italy’s justice minister has refused Argentina to extradite priest Franco Reverberi, who is accused of crimes against humanity during the country’s military dictatorship in the 1970s and 1980s.
86-year-old Franco Reverberi, who served as a military chaplain during the military regime in Argentina in 1976-1983, is accused of involvement in the torture of several men and the murder of 20-year-old political activist Jose Guillermo Beron, writes The Guardian.
In October 2023, Italy’s highest criminal court upheld the extradition of an Italian priest wanted by Argentina, rejecting his appeal.
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But on January 12, 2024, Justice Minister Carlo Nordio vetoed the extradition, citing Reverbery’s advanced age and health.
Jorge Iturburu, president of the Rome-based NGO 24 Marzo, which represents relatives of victims of the Argentine dictatorship, called for Reverbery to be brought to justice in Italy.
“Impunity is not provided by law. We are already in contact with the Permanent Assembly for Human Rights in San Rafael (Argentina), which is ready to file a complaint with the Italian authorities regarding Reberberi’s crimes. If the priest is not extradited, he should be prosecuted in Italy“, – he said.
Reverbery, who holds joint Argentine and Italian citizenship, left Argentina in 2011 after trials for crimes against humanity began there. He returned to his hometown near Parma. Since then, the priest lived carefree in Italy, where he continued to say mass until recently.
The former military chaplain has consistently denied any involvement in the crimes and has not been excommunicated by the Vatican.
After the 1976 coup d’état, the Argentine army systematically suppressed any potential opposition and eventually killed around 30,000 people.
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Pregnant prisoners were kept alive until they gave birth: it is believed that around 500 babies were given to childless military couples to raise as their own. 133 of them, and they are now in their 40s, have been reunited with their biological families.
Many criminals who were part of the dictatorial regimes at the time fled to Italy, taking advantage of their Italian origins and dual citizenship.
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