Spanish judge Baltazar Garzon is standing trial. Why is this important? Those who may be familiar with Garzon know that he has become famous in cases dealing with terrorism and forced disappearances. He is the judge responsible for indicting Osama bin Laden and former Chilean leader, Pinochet. The question is, why would Spain allow a court case against a judge of such influence? Garzon has recently requested a dismissal of the current proceedings against him. Conservative groups say that he abused his powers by investigating crimes during the Franco era, including the forced disappearance of approximately 100,000 people. Crimes commited during this dictatorship are normally covered by amnesty. However, Garzon claims that crimes against humanity are not covered by amnesty.
Francisco Franco ruled Spain from 1936, and was recognized as dictator by various world powers from 1939 to 1977. Many conservative groups said Garzon overstepped his boundaries and abused the powers of his office by investigating crimes that were commited during the Franco era. Garzon requested the proceedings be dropped, his request was denied.
If indicted, Garzon will be suspended definitively. As if this couldn't be enough, Garzon is also being tried in two additional cases...that's right. One for money collected during a lecture series in New York and the other for tapping phonecalls between jailbirds and their lawyers...
DANG... Why do I feel like he just might be clutching his Bible a little tighter tonight...why do things like this happen to human rights heroes? Well..all the best. In the meantime I'll keep my ear on the ground.
4 comments:
He've also prosecuted Italian PM Berlusconi on the fraud over control of TeleCinco in Spain. Berlusconi is alleged to have controlled spanish Tele5 against the Antitrust law, splitting the shares on more than 10 off-shore holdings (with money collected illegally from other business in Italy).
He seems like such a good man except if I'm misunderstanding the article because I don't understand why Spain would put to trial someone who was trying to call to justice outlaws.
Berlusconi has multiple fraud cases, mafia associations, and lets not forget the "side chick" which have all come out during the time of his election. I don't think we've seen anything yet being as its only the regional election results which have shown to be in his favor.
Yes it can be said that he's a good man, but it can also be said that he's very naive for bringing up the Franco era cases knowing the consequences he would suffer if he were to perform such an action.
The point is that Civil War and Franco's era was never debated and historically 'solved' in Spain (no Norimberga, no winners or losers but simply hidden period of Spain), so now anyone that try to find out an historical conclusion (and persecute the criminals) is accused to open again a bloody period and to make new wounds in the memories of many people. I don't know the spanish situation so much to say if this is right or not, but here in Italy too often old era 'revisionists' try to re-shape the past just because was not made so clear who was right and who was wrong...
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