Argentina

The International Secretariat of Amnesty International publishes its own website, with country specific news and campaigns. Do check out the Argentina page.

Amnesty’s 2023 report on Argentina

Amnesty International’s 2023 report on Argentina highlighted that gender-based killings continued unabated and impunity persisted:- 308 gender-based killings were recorded in 2023, 62% of them in domestic settings.  Access to abortion remained inconsistent in many parts of the country, despite its decriminalization. The abusive use of force with a racist bias was widespread within the security forces. Restriction and criminalization of protest prevailed. Measures on climate change fell short of targets required to curb global emissions.

Significant Events from Newsletters 2024

July

During 2024 large-scale demonstrations have erupted protesting against fiscal cuts and the undermining of human rights. Also some very concerning regulations have been implemented criminalizing protesters and permitting the unlawful use of force against them.  A violent police operation during protests on 12 June resulted in 33 people being arbitrarily detained and charged with several offences, including attacks on constitutional order and democratic life. Amnesty International has issued an Urgent Action urging the prosecutor to immediately drop the charges against them.

June

Pierina Nochetti (see photo below), a lesbian human rights activist, is facing criminal charges of “aggravated damage” for allegedly painting graffiti in protest questioning the disappearance of a young trans man in the city of Necochea, Argentina. She is facing a sentence of up to 4 years in prison. An Urgent Action, calling on authorities to drop the charge of “aggravated damage” against Pierina Nochetti, has been extended. It appears to be an unnecessary and disproportionate restriction on the right to freedom of expression.

A bill introducing changes to the Argentine pension system – the elimination of the “pension moratorium”, a mechanism that guarantees a pension – is now in the Senate. If approved it would impact on older people’s rights, especially of women and informal workers.  In effect, 90% of women and 70% percent of men of pensionable age will not be able to retire. Amnesty International calls for human rights scrutiny, to reject this removal of equal access to pensions impacting on the lives of older people. This Urgent Action asks us to email 12 Senators urging them not to remove the pension moratorium.

May

Hundreds of thousands of students, graduates, teachers and workers flooded the streets of Argentina in a historic display of unity against proposed budget cuts to public education. The demonstrations, which took place in over twenty cities across the country, marked one of the largest protests in the last 20 years. They voiced their opposition to the 70% budget reduction proposed by President Javier Milei, which threatens the stability and accessibility of higher education in the country, which is currently free.

April

Amnesty International held a press conference to mark 100 days of the government of President Javier Milei. “Despite the short time that has passed, we note with concern the profound impact that some measures that have been taken have had on the lives and rights of people…To the economic impoverishment of a large part of society, this administration adds a new leadership model of non-dialogue and permanent violence.” said Mariela Belski, executive director of Amnesty International Argentina.

However, last month Amnesty International did hold a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This was ahead of the 55^thsession of the UN Human Rights Council, which Argentina is a member country. Priorities were discussed and Amnesty also raised concerns about the measures being used to address social protest and the use of lethal weapons deployed in recent months. Also concerns about gender policies and the relevance of Argentina continuing to play a key role in the sexual and reproductive rights agenda in its domestic and foreign policy.

The recent Urgent Action goes on till 12^th April and is email only. Nahuel Morandini, Roque Villegas and Lucía González are being prosecuted for expressing ironic opinions about a public figure on social media. Morandini and Villegas posted on X and Facebook; they were immediately arrested and initially held in prison for 54 days. The charges against Gonzalez are based on a comment she made in a private WhatsApp group. This investigation and the charges brought against the three individuals are extremely alarming.  We are calling for the charges against all three of them to be dropped.

February

We have a new Urgent Action: Pierina Nochetti, a lesbian human rights activist, is facing criminal charges of “aggravated damage”. Pierina is one of many campaigning over the disappearance of a young trans man, Tehuel de la Torre, last seen on 11 March 2021. She is alleged to have painted graffiti on a wall with the question “Where is Tehuel?”. Her trial is scheduled for 6 March and she is facing a sentence of up to 4 years in prison. The charges appear to be an unnecessary and a disproportionate restriction to the right to freedom of expression, and the Urgent Action calls for them to be dropped.

Female journalists who write about gender issues say they are having to deal with a toxic wave of threats against them in Argentina. The country legalised abortion in 2020, but its newly elected far-right libertarian president, Javier Milei, campaigned to overturn the law. And the libertarian movement that helped propel Milei to power appeared to deliberately target feminists when it started building its follower base in 2018. “We are facing a witch-hunt from the ultra-right,” said feminist writer Luciana Peke who has gone into exile.

January

Amnesty International has published an open letter to the new government, urging that people must be at the centre of all public policy. It highlights eight interconnected points that it considers essential issues in terms of rights and that must be part of a future government program. One point is “Ensure Women’s Right to a Life Free of Violence” which highlights the bleak fact – In 2022, a femicide occurred every 35 hours, with 76% of the 252 deaths happening in domestic violence contexts. At least 17% of the victims had made formal complaints.

Security Minister Patricia Bullrich has announced an anti-picketing protocol to prevent roads from being blocked – people should only demonstrate on pavements and never interfere with the right of others to move freely. Amnesty International express concern that the protocol violates the right to free assembly and association and freedom of expression. Also the powers for the intervention of police and security agents do not respect international standards on the use of force, inevitably generating violence and social conflict, endangering the life and physical integrity of people.

December 2023

Activists join the Madres de Plaza de Mayo Association in their weekly protest President-elect Javier Milei takes office on December 10^th. Since his victory, hundreds of activists gathered in Buenos Aires to denounce Milei and vice-president-elect Victoria Villarruel’s views on the dictatorship-era disappearances of tens of thousands of people.  The head of the Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo human rights group, Estela de Carlotto, is to request a meeting with the new President. Milei has routinely vowed to hold a plebiscite on whether to repeal the country’s 2020 landmark legalisation of abortion, and promising to shut the country’s ministry of women, gender and diversity.

The Urgent Action on behalf of Alberto Nallar has been extended till January 11^th  He was sentenced to 42 months of imprisonment for the crime of “incitement to commit crimes, incitement to collective violence and uprising or mutiny ”.  A human rights lawyer, Alberto Nallar took an active role during the protests in Jujuy Province that began on June 15. He provided support and legal assistance to people detained during the demonstrations. Alberto has also been heavily fined and been disqualified from practicing.

November 2023

On 24th October human rights lawyer Alberto Nallar was sentenced to 3 years and 6 months in prison for crimes of “Instigation to commit crimes and sedition.” Alberto Nallar had been arrested on 13th July following the peaceful protests in Jujuy Province; there has been an Amnesty International Urgent Action calling for charges against him to be dropped since then. As well as being active in the protests, Alberto had provided support and legal assistance to people detained during the mobilizations and their families.

Meanwhile Amnesty International released its preliminary findings following a research mission to Jujuy in September. Ana Piquer, Americas director at Amnesty International, announced:-

“We have found that the Jujuy provincial police responded with indiscriminate use of force against those protesting for their rights. Our investigation indicates that the provincial authorities have created a hostile environment that inhibits the people of Jujuy from exercising their right to peaceful protest.”

October 2023

On the Global Day of Action for Access to Safe and Legal Abortion, September 28, human rights organisations and other activists marched in Buenos Aires and across Latin America. In Argentina they were highlighting their concerns that a change in government in this month’s elections will lead to losing the gains made. Current poll leader Javier Milei has made clear his opposition to abortion.   After a long struggle and massive rallies, Argentina became in 2020 one of the 50 countries that decriminalized abortion in the last three decades. But despite the change in law, access to abortion remains problematic and oppositionremains deep seated in parts of the country.

Argentina’s former Navy School of Mechanics (ESMA)– a military school turned secret detention centre, and now a Museum and Site of Memory – has been named a United Nations World Heritage Site. President Alberto Fernández thanked the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO):- “The Navy School of Mechanics conveyed the absolute worst aspects of state-sponsored terrorism, memory must be kept alive”. Almost 5,000 people were abducted and held in the ESMA in its active participation in the Dirty War between 1976-1983; all except 150 were killed during or after interrogation and torture. As we mentioned in the April Newsletter, the last remaining aircraft used to facilitate “death flights” is now on display at this Museum and Site of of Memory.

August 2023

We now have two Urgent Actions for Argentina. As brought to your attention 3 weeks ago, Cecilia Strzyzowski (28 years old) has been missing since June 1. Her disappearance is being investigated as a femicide; human skeletal remains have now been found. Cecilia Strzyzowski’s husband, César Sena, and his parents have been detained and charged with her murder. This Urgent Action is now an email action on the AIUK site.

Last month we highlighted the peaceful protests in Jujuy Province. Amnesty International called for an end to the violent police repression used against the protestors. But since protests began at least 130 people have been detained, including human rights defenders.

Alberto Naller is a human rights lawyer who played a very active role in the protests. He provided support and legal assistance to people detained during the mobilizations and their families. Alberto Naller was arrested on July 13^th and charged with sedition; a criminal provision frequently used in Argentina to criminalize people who exercise the right to social protest. He is currently under house arrest. Amnesty has issued an Urgent Action requesting charges against Alberto Nallar be dropped.

July 2023

Amnesty International has called on the government of Jujuy Province in Northern Argentina to immediately cease the excessive use of force against those exercising their right to peaceful protest. This has resulted in hundreds of people being injured in the past two weeks. The protests have been against constitutional reform and for teachers’ salary demands Provincial police have responded by indiscriminately using rubber bullets, tear gas and physical violence against the population, especially against Indigenous people and campesinos (rural farm workers).

The constitutional reform that sparked the row expressly prohibits “street and road blockades, as well as any other disturbance of the right to free movement of persons and the improper occupation of public buildings in the province,” definitions that critics say puts limits on the right to protest.

June 2023

Amnesty Argentina has just published a report “Police violence: what happens next? Investigation, Supervision and Accountability of Policing”. Currently only in Spanish, the summary on the Amnesty Argentina website is highly critical.  Deficiencies in judicial investigations, cover-ups, and investigating only “official reports” are just some of the widespread practices that are reported. This perpetuates police violence and leads to impunity.

Mariela Belski, executive director of Amnesty International Argentina, said:-   “Argentina has shown a profound inability to effectively investigate the illegal actions of the security forces. The accountability processes for police action do not show a serious commitment to justice and reparation for the victims. The involvement of all levels of the State and all provinces is essential to advance practices that respect human rights.”

The report lays out recommendations for a way forward. But in an election year, Amnesty International reiterates its concern at the absence of comprehensive plans and measures from candidates to combat institutional violence.

May 2023

Tens of thousands of Mapuches, members of an indigenous people established on both sides of the Andes in the Chilean and Argentine territory, are claiming the return of their ancestral lands and assets. The Mapuche are the most populous indigenous people in Argentina. However, the group is facing significant backlash from provincial governments.

The Chamber of Deputies in Mendoza (in the province of Mendoza) voted a resolution which maintains that “the Mapuches should not be considered original Argentine peoples.” This resolution comes just days after the Supreme Court suspended the distribution of land in Bariloche (in the province of Río Negro), to a Mapuche community.

This comes a few weeks after a critical report by a United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights, an independent monitoring program of the Human Rights Council. This denounced the “structural discrimination” affecting the Indigenous population in Argentina. In particular the UN delegation highlighted the unequal effects of Argentina’s high poverty rate:-

“Poverty is concentrated in certain regions, with indigenous peoples being especially affected by social inequality, economic marginalisation and structural racism”