Argentine junta leader jailed for 50 years for stealing children

The leader of Argentina’s former military junta has been sentenced to 50 years in jail for stealing children from political prisoners.

Jorge Rafael Videla, now 86, was found guilty of hatching the plan to seize the offspring of leftist dissidents.

The kidnappings or illegal adoptions took place during Argentina’s 1976 to 1983 military dictatorship.

Two other senior officials received jail terms for their involvement.

Another junta leader, Reynaldo Bignone, got 15 years, whilst former navy officer Jorge Acosta was sentenced to 30 years.

At least 400 babies are thought to have been taken away from their parents while they were in detention.

Some of them had been born to women held at secret torture centres.

Videla was unrepentant throughout his trial, which began in February last year.
He called himself a political prisoner and denied the abductions were part of a systemic plan.

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