MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine Dirty War priest sentenced to life imprisonment

Father Von Wernich showed no emotion during the sentence

A court in Argentina on Tuesday sentenced a former Roman Catholic police chaplain to life imprisonment for collaborating in murders during the country's military dictatorship. Christian Von Wernich, 69, was convicted for involvement in seven murders, 42 abductions and 31 cases of torture during the 1976-83 “Dirty War”.

The powerful Argentine Church said it was "moved" by such "grave crimes", but pointed out "responsibility was personal" and called for national reconciliation. As he was sentenced, Father Von Wernich showed no emotion. Protesters torched his effigy outside the court. The trial in the town of La Plata near Buenos Aires had lasted for three months. Prosecutors said Father Von Wernich used his office to win the trust of prisoners before passing information to police torturers and killers in secret detention centres. Father Von Wernich accused torture victims who gave evidence in court of being possessed by the devil. With the return of democracy to Argentina he worked under a false name in neighbouring Chile, but investigators tracked him down and he was arrested four years ago. Initially he avoided prosecution under amnesty laws but these were later declared unconstitutional and some of those responsible for the killing of an estimated 30,000 people during military rule (1976/1983) are finally being brought to trial. "We believe that the steps taken by the Courts of Justice to elucidate these actions should renew efforts from all Argentines in the path of reconciliation and are a call to take distance from impunity, from hate and from rancor", said the Argentine Episcopal Conference in a release signed by Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio.