Argentina protests against law helping human rights offenders

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Updated on May 11, 2017 02:55 PM IST

A demonstrator carrying a white headscarf as he represents the Madres de Plaza de Mayo human rights group march to the Plaza de Mayo square in downtown Buenos Aires.Thousands of Argentines of all ages and opposing political parties joined to protest a Supreme Court ruling that many feared would lead to the release of convicted human rights criminals. (Eitan Abramovich/AFP)

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Updated on May 11, 2017 02:55 PM IST

Thousands of demonstrators raise white headscarves that the Mothers and Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo wear to symbolize the diapers once used by their disappeared children, as they march to Plaza de Mayo square. In a rare display of unity by lawmakers, Congress approved a bill Wednesday that would ban the reduction of jail sentences for people serving time for crimes against humanity committed during Argentina’s brutal 1976-1983 military dictatorship. (Eitan Abramovich/AFP)

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Updated on May 11, 2017 02:55 PM IST

Lower court judges denounced it as unconstitutional and rejected requests for freedom by other convicted abusers. (Eitan Abramovich/AFP)

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Updated on May 11, 2017 02:55 PM IST

Demonstrators holding a banner with pictures of victims of forced disappearance. Argentines have been outraged by the top court’s decision last week that reduced the sentence of a human rights abuser based on an interpretation of a repealed law. (Emiliano Lasalvia/AFP)

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Updated on May 11, 2017 02:55 PM IST

Demonstrators holding signs reading "human rights", "justice" and "let's change!" during the march. Demonstrators marched to the Plaza de Mayo square in front of the presidential palace carrying banners with pictures of those who were forcibly disappeared in a government-sponsored crackdown on leftist dissidents during Argentina’s “dirty war.” (Emiliano Lasalvia/AFP)

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Updated on May 11, 2017 02:55 PM IST

Many wore white headscarves that have become a symbol of the Mothers and Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo human rights groups. (Emiliano Lasalvia/AFP)

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Updated on May 11, 2017 02:55 PM IST

A member of the human rights organization Madres de Plaza de Mayo (Mothers of the disappeared) takes part in a demonstration. During the dictatorship years, they fought to recover their children and grandchildren by marching every week in front of the main square in Buenos Aires. (Martin Acosta/REUTERS)

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Updated on May 11, 2017 02:55 PM IST

A man is silhouetted as he walks behind a scarf. The so-called 2X1 law cited by the Supreme Court said that the days a suspect spent in prison before a firm conviction should count double toward the sentence. (Martin Acosta/REUTERS)

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Updated on May 11, 2017 02:55 PM IST

It was used by three of the top court’s five justices to reduce the 13-year sentence given to Luis Muina for the kidnapping and torture of five people during a military operation. (Martin Acosta/REUTERS)

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Updated on May 11, 2017 02:55 PM IST

The law was in effect in 1994-2001, when most dictatorship-era human rights criminals were still free. (Martin Acosta/reuters)

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Updated on May 11, 2017 02:55 PM IST

People hold a banner with photos of persons killed during Argentina's 1976-1983 dictatorship. Activists had warned that the ruling could set a precedent leading to the early release of other abusers. (Victor R. Caivano/AP)

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Updated on May 11, 2017 02:55 PM IST

Senators unanimously passed the bill Wednesday saying the 2x1 law cannot be applied to human rights criminals. (Emiliano Lasalvia/AFP)

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Updated on May 11, 2017 02:55 PM IST

An activist, right, hands out handkerchiefs resembling the famous one used by the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo human rights group outside the Justice Palace in Buenos Aires. Official estimates say about 6,000 people were killed or disappeared during the dictatorship, but human rights activists believe the real number was as high as 30,000. (Victor R. Caivano/AP)

Argentina protests against law helping human rights offenders

Lower court judges denounced it as unconstitutional and rejected requests for freedom by other convicted abusers. (Eitan Abramovich/AFP)

Demonstrators holding a banner with pictures of victims of forced disappearance. Argentines have been outraged by the top court’s decision last week that reduced the sentence of a human rights abuser based on an interpretation of a repealed law. (Emiliano Lasalvia/AFP)

Many wore white headscarves that have become a symbol of the Mothers and Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo human rights groups. (Emiliano Lasalvia/AFP)

A man is silhouetted as he walks behind a scarf. The so-called 2X1 law cited by the Supreme Court said that the days a suspect spent in prison before a firm conviction should count double toward the sentence. (Martin Acosta/REUTERS)

It was used by three of the top court’s five justices to reduce the 13-year sentence given to Luis Muina for the kidnapping and torture of five people during a military operation. (Martin Acosta/REUTERS)

The law was in effect in 1994-2001, when most dictatorship-era human rights criminals were still free. (Martin Acosta/reuters)

People hold a banner with photos of persons killed during Argentina's 1976-1983 dictatorship. Activists had warned that the ruling could set a precedent leading to the early release of other abusers. (Victor R. Caivano/AP)

Senators unanimously passed the bill Wednesday saying the 2x1 law cannot be applied to human rights criminals. (Emiliano Lasalvia/AFP)

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