’WPC2  3Sß3†Ž:芋ŖƒŁZ[æ¤MUe>läŖbŻ«o—l¦źü_T…8*‹ƒ"·)kL„Ē IfÄŽĄdRó(2bµA›Ōm#3‰"Š44i;̰bĒr†.čQtMyP² §SĖø¾ģŗHčšVh›š|ĢGćäŌjĄššØķÜHJ÷v 'X±t›Ī‹Ę¤ySܬ;“gĘBånFŪ£{ż±AqAXļŠ…a÷g«˜ve“y¼¬3ŗą©—c±%VĀśĆŁŽß^B·§N¶/ŗįåŌN웑eėdŸėŖ-m¹YE¹Š0sŒJ,$“(a0“„nUf‰ˆī–Ä¢–f=»sb’téVļŃāįYĀ%µLĘ6(lÓź%|Ąt„~ę°‡sMŗŁ÷rŽ7F•7LQŻĒ#Į4UNõ %C 0:I^ ƒw4“§¶ mø,Ļ 1‡ū 72‚ 1u“ 72) 0c[ 1‡¾ 72E 1‡w 72ž N0 ˜HP LaserJet 6P/6MP - StandardČŠššČŠ0&Öd9 Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX(ūœ$””ŌUKUS.,Ō„Ÿ+ tQ+3|x’U‹’ĄĄĄ MoukarzelPuntorationetemporisOliverioRuartesMujicaC)sar M.S. O.R. M.R. J.M.ObedienciaDebidaguerrasucia(нCEKQW]cioAutoList1A.A.A.A.A.A.A.A. A.3#37=CIQYag­­1.a.i.(1)(a)(i)1)a)i)(;3£$““Ō2#ŌŚ  Ś0Ś  Ś.Ō3  Ōą0  ą(EhCEKQW]cioAutoList21.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.(UhCEKQW]cioAutoList31.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.Ż ƒūœ!ŻŌUKUS.,ŌŻ  ŻŌ_Ōņ ņCOMMITTEE€AGAINST€TORTUREŠ ° ŠĢņņO.R.,€M.M.,€and€M.S.€v.€ArgentinaóóŠ ą ŠĢCommunications€No.€1/1988,€2/1988€and€3/1988Š pĄ ŠĢNovember€1989Š P   ŠĢCAT/C/WG/3/DR/1,€2€and€3/1988€*Š 0 € ŠĢĢDEAL€JOINTLY€AND€ADMISSIBILITYó óŠ P  ŠĢĢĢņņņņSubmitted€by:óó€O.R.,€M.M.,€and€M.S.€óó[names€deleted]Š Ą ŠņņĢņņAlleged€victims:óó€Authorsšš€deceased€relativesŠ  š ŠĢņņState€party€concerned:óó€ArgentinaŠ €Š ŠĢņņDate€of€communication:óó€22€November€1988Š `° ŠĢņņDocumentation€references:óó€Prior€decisions€„€CAT/C/2/D/1/1988;€CAT/C/2/D/2/1988;€ą Š ąŠ @ ŠCAT/C/2/D/3/1988€€[Fact€Sheets€„€CAT/C/FS/1/1988€and€Add€1„2]óóŠ 0€ ŠĢĢÓ  Óą  ąņņThe€Committee€against€Tortureóó€established€under€article€17€of€the€Convention€againstŠ P ŠTorture€and€Other€Cruel,€Inhuman€or€Degrading€Treatment€or€Punishment,Š š@ ŠĢą  ąņņMeeting€onóó€..€November€1989Š Š  ŠĢą  ąņņAdoptsóó€the€following:Š °"  ŠĢĢĢÓoÓņ ņÓ  ÓA.€€ņņDecision€to€deal€jointly€with€three€communicationsó óóó€Š p&Ą!$ ŠÓēÓÓÓĢĢą  ąņņThe€Committee€against€Torture,óóŠ @)$' ŠĢą  ąņņConsideringóó€that€communications€Nos.€1/1988,€2/1988€and€3/1988€refer€to€closely€relatedŠ  +p&) Ševents€said€to€have€taken€place€in€Argentina€in€1976,€and€to€the€enactment€of€certain€legislation€inŠ ,`'* ŠDecember€1986€and€June€1987,Š -P(+ ŠŠ š-@), Šą  ąņņConsidering€furtheróó€that€the€three€communications€can€appropriately€be€dealt€with€together.Š ° ŠĢą  ą1.€€ņņDecidesóó,€pursuant€to€rule€10/22,€paragraph€4,€of€its€rules€of€procedure,€to€deal€jointly€withŠ ą Šthese€communications;Š €Š ŠĢą  ą2.€€ņņFurther€decidesóó€that€this€decision€shall€be€communicated€to€the€State€party€and€the€authorsŠ ` ° Šof€the€communications.€Š P   ŠĢĢÓXÓņ ņņņÓ  ÓB.€€Decision€on€admissibilityó óóóŠ  p  ŠÓķÓÓÓĢĢ1.€€€The€authors€of€the€communications€are€O.R.,€M.M.€and€M.S.,€Argentinian€citizens€residing€inŠ š@  ŠArgentina,€writing€on€behalf€of€their€deceased€relatives€M.R.,€J.M.€and€C.S.,€who€were€ArgentinianŠ ą0  Šcitizens€and€were€allegedly€tortured€to€death€by€Argentine€military€authorities€in€June,€July€andŠ Š  ŠNovember€1976,€respectively.Š Ą ŠĢ2.1€€€The€authors€claim€that€the€enactment€of€Act€No.€23,521€of€8€June€1987€(known€as€the€š šDueŠ  š ŠObedience€Actšš€or€š šLey€de€Obediencia€Debidašš)€and€its€application€to€the€legal€proceedings€in€theŠ ą Šcases€of€their€relatives€constitute€violations€by€Argentina€of€articles€2,€10,€13,€16,€19€and€20€of€theŠ €Š ŠConvention€against€Torture€and€Other€Cruel,€Inhuman€or€Degrading€Treatment€or€Punishment.Š pĄ ŠSimilarly,€it€is€also€claimed€that€the€enactment€of€Act€No.€23,492€on€24€December€1986€(known€asŠ `° Šthe€š šFinality€Actšš€or€š šLey€de€Punto€Finalšš)€constitutes€violations€of€the€Convention.Š P  ŠĢ2.2€€€The€Convention€against€Torture€was€signed€by€the€Government€of€Argentina€on€4€FebruaryŠ 0€ Š1985,€ratified€on€24€September€1986€and€entered€into€force€on€26€June€1987.€Article€2€of€theŠ  p ŠConvention€provides€in€part:Š ` ŠĢą0  ąš š1.€€Each€State€Party€shall€take€effective€legislative,€administrative,€judicial€or€otherŠ š@ Šmeasures€to€prevent€acts€of€torture€in€any€territory€under€its€jurisdiction.Šą0(#(# Šą  ą(...)Š Š  Šą0  ą3.€€An€order€from€a€superior€officer€or€a€public€authority€may€not€be€invoked€as€aŠ Ą! Šjustification€of€torture.šš€Š°" (#(# ŠĢ2.3€€€It€is€claimed€that€Act€No.€23,521€is€incompatible€with€Argentinaššs€obligations€under€theŠ $ą" ŠConvention.€The€Act€presumes,€without€admitting€proof€to€the€contrary,€that€those€persons€who€heldŠ €%Š # Šlower€military€ranks€at€the€time€the€crimes€were€committed€were€acting€under€superior€orders;€theŠ p&Ą!$ ŠAct€therefore€exempts€them€from€punishment.€The€immunity€also€covers€superior€military€officersŠ `'°"% Šwho€did€not€act€as€commander„in„chief,€chief€of€zone,€or€chief€of€security€police€or€penitentiaryŠ P( #& Šforces,€provided€that€they€did€not€themselves€decide€or€that€they€did€not€participate€in€the€elaborationŠ @)$' Šof€criminal€orders.Š 0*€%( ŠĢ2.4€€€€With€regard€to€the€time€frame€of€application€of€the€Convention,€the€authors€acknowledge€thatŠ ,`'* Štheir€relatives€were€torture€to€death€during€the€prior€Argentine€Government,€before€the€entry€intoŠ -P(+ Šforce€of€the€Convention.€They€challenge,€however,€the€compatibility€of€the€Due€Obedience€Act€withŠ š-@), Šthe€Convention.€Although€Act€No.€23,521€was€enacted€before€the€entry€into€force€of€the€ConventionŠ ° Šagainst€Torture,€the€authors€refer€to€article€18€of€the€Vienna€Convention€on€the€Law€of€Treaties€(€inŠ  š Šforce€27€January€1980),€which€provides€thatŠ ą ŠŌ_ŌĢą0  ąš šA€State€is€obliged€to€refrain€from€acts€which€would€defeat€the€object€or€purpose€of€a€treatyŠ pĄ Šwhen€(a)€it€has€signed€the€treaty€or€has€exchanged€instruments€constituting€the€treaty€subjectŠ ` ° Što€ratification...šš.€ŠP  (#(# ŠĢBoth€signature€and€ratification€of€the€Convention€by€Argentina€took€place€prior€to€the€enactment€ofŠ 0 € ŠAct€No.€23,521.Š  p  ŠĢ2.5€€€€At€issue€is€also€the€compatibility€with€the€Convention€of€Act€No.€23,492,€of€24€DecemberŠ P  Š1986,€known€as€Law€of€š šPunto€Finalšš,€which€established€a€deadline€of€60€days€for€commencing€newŠ š@  Šcriminal€investigations€with€regard€to€the€events€of€the€so„called€š šdirty€waršš€(ņņguerra€suciaóó).€ThisŠ ą0  Šdeadline€expired€on€22€February€1987.Š Š  ŠĢ3.€€€By€decisions€under€rule€13/22€of€its€rules€of€procedure,€the€Committee€against€TortureŠ ° Štransmitted€the€three€communications€to€the€State€party€requesting€information€concerning€theŠ  š Šquestion€of€the€admissibility€of€the€communications.Š ą ŠĢ4.1€€€On€14€July€1989€the€State€party€objected€to€the€admissibility€of€the€communications€on€theŠ pĄ Šgrounds€that€all€the€events€in€question,€including€the€enactment€of€the€laws€challenged€by€the€authorsŠ `° Štook€place€prior€to€the€entry€into€force€of€the€Convention€against€Torture.Š P  ŠĢ4.2€€€€In€particular,€the€State€party€refers€to€article€28€of€the€Vienna€Convention€on€the€Law€ofŠ 0€ ŠTreaties€which€stipulates:Š  p ŠĢą0  ąš šUnless€a€different€intention€appears€from€the€treaty€or€is€otherwise€established,€itsŠ P Šprovisions€do€not€bind€a€party€in€relation€to€any€act€of€fact€which€took€place€or€any€situationŠ š@ Šwhich€ceased€to€exist€before€the€date€of€the€entry€into€force€of€the€treaty€with€respect€to€thatŠ ą0 Šparty.ššŠŠ (#(# ŠĢ4.3€€€€In€this€connection,€the€State€party€observes€that€this€provision€merely€codifies€the€existingŠ °"  Šcustomary€law€with€regard€to€the€non„retroactivity€of€treaties.€It€refers€to€decisions€of€the€PermanentŠ  #š! ŠCourt€of€International€Justice€(Series€A/B,€No.€4,€24)€and€of€the€International€Court€of€JusticeŠ $ą" Š(Reports,€1952,€40)€holding€that€a€treaty€only€applies€retroactively€if€such€an€intention€is€expressedŠ €%Š # Šin€the€treaty€or€may€be€clearly€inferred€from€its€provisions.Š p&Ą!$ ŠĢ4.4€€€€In€respect€of€this€provision,€the€International€Law€Commission€has€observed:Š P( #& ŠĢą0  ąš š...€in€numerous€cases€under€the€European€Convention€for€the€Protection€of€Human€RightsŠ 0*€%( Šand€Fundamental€Freedoms,€the€European€Commission€of€Human€Rights€has€held€that€it€isŠ  +p&) Šincompetent€to€entertain€complaints€regarding€alleged€violations€of€human€rights€said€to€haveŠ ,`'* Šoccurred€prior€to€the€entry€into€force€of€the€Convention€with€respect€to€the€State€in€questionššŠ -P(+ Š(ņņOfficial€Records€of€the€General€Assembly,€Twenty„first€Session,€Supplement€No.€9óóŠ š-@), Š(A/6309/Rev.1)€p.€44).а(#(# ŠĢ4.5€€€The€State€party€places€Acts€Nos.€23,492€and€23,521€in€this€context,€since€their€scope€ofŠ ą Šapplication€extends€from€24€March€1976€to€26€September€1983€and€the€Convention€against€TortureŠ €Š Šcame€into€force€on€26€June€1987.Š pĄ ŠĢ5.1€€€€€€The€State€party€further€contends€that€the€authors€have€failed€to€exhaust€domestic€remedies,Š P   Šand€indicates€that€all€victims€of€crimes€have€a€right€to€compensation€for€the€physical€and€moralŠ @  Šinjury€suffered€and€that€Act€No.€23,521€recognizes€this€right€in€article€6,€which€specifically€providesŠ 0 € Šthat€š šthe€extinction€of€penal€action€pursuant€to€article€1€does€not€affect€civil€proceedingsšš.Š  p  ŠĢ5.2€€€€Moreover,€article€30€of€the€Criminal€Code€stipulates€that€the€obligation€to€indemnify€takesŠ P  Šprecedence€over€all€other€obligations€incurred€by€the€person€responsible€subsequent€to€the€crime,Š š@  Šincluding€payment€of€the€fine,€while€article€31€stipulates€that€the€obligation€to€pay€compensation€isŠ ą0  Šjointly€shared€by€all€those€responsible€for€the€crime.€Thus,€both€the€victims€and€their€relatives€as€wellŠ Š  Šas€any€third€parties€who€might€have€suffered€injury,€even€indirectly,€are€entitled€to€fullŠ Ą Šcompensation.€Article€1112€of€the€Argentine€Civil€Code€stipulates€that€public€officials€guilty€ofŠ ° Šculpable€omission€in€the€course€of€their€duties€are€liable€to€pay€compensation.€As€far€as€the€liabilityŠ  š Šof€the€State€is€concerned,€articles€43€and€1113€clearly€stipulate€that€the€State€is€responsible€for€itsŠ ą Šagents.Š €Š ŠĢ6.1€€€€Counsel€for€the€authors,€in€an€undated€submission€received€on€12€September€1989,€contestsŠ `° Šthe€State€partyššs€observations€and€reiterates€that€š šwhat€is€being€challenged€is€the€application€of€theŠ P  ŠDue€Obedience€Act€to€the€accused,€as€well€as€the€very€existence€of€that€law,€which€breaches€theŠ @ ŠConvention€against€Torture.šš€Š 0€ ŠĢ6.2€€€€€With€regard€to€the€requirement€of€exhaustion€of€domestic€remedies,€counsel€contends€thatŠ ` Šthere€are€no€effective€remedies,€in€particular€with€regard€to€compensation.€Although€the€GovernmentŠ P Šin€principle€accepts€its€liability€to€pay€compensation,€in€practice,€it€allegedly€prevents€injured€partiesŠ š@ Šfrom€obtaining€compensation€from€the€military€courts,€thus€requiring€them€to€pursue€other€channels,Š ą0 Šthrough€the€civil€courts.€Counsel€further€explains€that€š šthe€distinction€between€civil€and€criminalŠ Š  Šaction€has€not€been€accepted€in€our€codes€of€procedure,€which€for€the€purposes€of€compensation€forŠ Ą! Šthe€consequences€of€a€crime€provide€that€proceedings€must€be€continued€in€the€same€kind€of€court.Š °"  ŠFailure€to€do€so€has€been€regarded€by€our€foremost€procedural€experts€as€a€violation€of€the€right€toŠ  #š! Ša€defence.€When€the€return€to€democracy€began,€the€direct€victims€and/or€their€representativesŠ $ą" Šplunged€into€criminal€proceedings€in€order€to€ensure€the€investigation€of€the€facts,€the€punishmentŠ €%Š # Šof€those€responsible,€the€search€for€missing€persons€(which€is€still€continuing)€and€the€discovery€ofŠ p&Ą!$ Šthe€truth€about€what€actually€happened.€In€addition€there€was€a€need€for€a€statement€by€the€criminalŠ `'°"% Šcourts€confirming€the€existence€of€the€reported€events€and€the€form€they€took.€Those€who€beganŠ P( #& Šproceedings€to€seek€compensation€came€up€against€the€requirement€that€the€civil€courts€should€beŠ @)$' Šused,€and€the€rejection€of€all€the€civil€cases.ššŠ 0*€%( ŠĢ7.1€€€€€Before€considering€any€claims€contained€in€a€communication,€the€Committee€against€TortureŠ ,`'* Šshall,€in€accordance€with€rule€12/22€of€its€rules€of€procedure,€decide€whether€or€not€it€is€admissibleŠ -P(+ Šunder€article€22€of€the€Convention.Š š-@), Ї7.2€€€€With€regard€to€the€temporal€application€of€the€Convention,€the€Committee€recalls€that€theŠ ° ŠConvention€against€Torture€and€Other€Cruel,€Inhuman€or€Degrading€Treatment€or€PunishmentŠ  š Šentered€into€force€on€26€June€1987.€In€this€connection€the€Committee€observes€that€the€ConventionŠ ą Šonly€has€effect€from€that€date€and€cannot€be€applied€retroactively.€Therefore,€the€promulgation€ofŠ €Š Šthe€š šPunto€Finalšš€Act€on€24€December€1986€and€the€enactment,€on€8€June€1987,€of€the€š šDueŠ pĄ ŠObediencešš€Act€could€not,€ņņratione€temporisóó,€have€violated€a€Convention€that€had€not€yet€entered€intoŠ ` ° Šforce.Š P   ŠĢ7.3€€€€The€only€issue€remaining€before€the€Committee€is€whether€there€have€been€any€violations€ofŠ 0 € Šthe€Convention€subsequent€to€its€entry€into€force.€A€question€arises€concerning€the€immediateŠ  p  Šapplication€of€the€provisions€of€the€Convention,€e.g.€with€regard€to€the€right€of€victims€of€torture€toŠ `  Ša€remedy.€Article€13€provides€in€part:€š šEach€State€party€shall€ensure€that€any€individual€who€allegesŠ P  Šhe€has€been€subjected€to€torture€in€any€territory€under€its€jurisdiction€has€the€right€to€complain€to,Š š@  Šand€to€have€his€case€promptly€and€impartially€examined€by,€its€competent€authorities.šš€Although€theŠ ą0  Šauthors€have€not€invoked€article€14€of€the€Convention,€the€Committee€ņņex€officioóó€shall€examineŠ Š  Šwhether€issues€arise€under€this€article,€which€stipulates€in€part:€š šEach€State€party€shall€ensure€in€itsŠ Ą Šlegal€system€that€the€victim€of€an€act€of€torture€obtains€redress€and€has€an€enforceable€right€to€fairŠ ° Šand€adequate€compensation,€including€the€means€for€as€full€rehabilitation€as€possible.€In€the€eventŠ  š Šof€death€of€the€victim€as€a€result€of€an€act€of€torture,€his€dependents€shall€be€entitled€toŠ ą Šcompensation.šš€Š €Š ŠĢ7.4€€€€The€Committee€observes€that€š štorturešš€for€purposes€of€the€Convention€can€only€mean€tortureŠ `° Šthat€occurs€subsequent€to€the€entry€into€force€of€the€Convention.€Thus€the€scope€of€articles€13€andŠ P  Š14€of€the€Convention€did€not€cover€torture€that€took€place€in€1976,€ten€years€before€the€entry€intoŠ @ Šforce€of€the€Convention,€and€the€right€to€redress€provided€for€in€the€Convention€necessarily€arisesŠ 0€ Šonly€with€respect€to€events€subsequent€to€26€June€1987.€Š  p ŠĢ8.€€€€€€The€Committee€therefore€decides:Š P ŠĢą  ą(a)€That€the€communications€are€inadmissible€ņņratione€temporisóó;Š ą0 ŠĢą0  ą(b)€That€this€decision€shall€be€communicated€to€the€State€party€and€to€the€authors€throughŠ Ą! Štheir€counsel.а" (#(# ŠĢ9.€€€€€€€The€Committee€observes,€however,€that€even€if€the€Convention€against€Torture€does€not€applyŠ $ą" Što€the€facts€of€these€communications,€the€State€of€Argentina€is€morally€bound€to€provide€a€remedyŠ €%Š # Što€victims€of€torture€and€to€their€dependants,€notwithstanding€the€fact€that€the€acts€of€torture€occurredŠ p&Ą!$ Šbefore€the€entry€into€force€of€the€Convention,€under€the€responsibility€of€a€ņņde€factoóó€governmentŠ `'°"% Šwhich€is€not€the€present€government€of€Argentina.€The€Committee€notes€with€concern€that€it€was€theŠ P( #& Šdemocratically€elected€post„military€government€that€enacted€the€Punto€Final€and€the€Due€ObedienceŠ @)$' ŠActs,€which€the€Committee€deems€to€be€incompatible€with€the€spirit€and€purpose€of€the€Convention.Š 0*€%( ŠThe€Committee€also€notes€that€by€decree€of€6€October€1989€the€President€of€Argentina€pardoned€39Š  +p&) Šsenior€military€officers€who€were€to€have€been€tried€by€civilian€courts.€This€policy€is€in€stark€contrastŠ ,`'* Što€the€State€response€towards€the€victims€of€the€š šdirty€waršš€of€1976€„€1983.€€The€Committee€urgesŠ -P(+ Šthe€State€party€not€to€leave€the€victims€of€torture€and€their€dependants€wholly€without€a€remedy.Š š-@), ŠSince€civil€action€for€compensation€is€no€longer€possible€because€the€period€of€limitations€forŠ ° Šlodging€such€an€action€has€run,€the€Committee€would€welcome,€in€the€spirit€of€article€14€of€theŠ  š ŠConvention,€the€enactment€of€appropriate€legislation€to€render€applications€for€compensations€viable.Š ą ŠĢ10.€€€The€Committee€would€also€welcome€receiving€from€the€State€party€detailed€informationŠ pĄ Šconcerning€(a)€the€number€of€successful€claims€for€compensation€for€victims€of€acts€of€torture€duringŠ ` ° Šthe€š šdirty€waršš,€or€for€their€dependants,€and€(b)€such€pension€schemes€that€may€exist,€apart€fromŠ P   Šcompensation,€for€the€victims€of€torture€or€their€dependants,€including€the€criteria€for€eligibility€forŠ @  Šsuch€pension.Š 0 € ŠĢ__________Š `  Šą  ąņņ*óó/ą ` ąAll€persons€handling€this€document€are€requested€to€respect€and€observe€itsŠ P  Šconfidential€nature.Š š@  ŠĢÓA Ó