Human Rights in Argentina - http://www.derechos.org/human-rights/argentina.html

Equipo Nikzor http://www.derechos.org/nizkor/


The Human Rights Actions Network - Derechos Human Rights
http://www.derechos.org/human-rights/actions/

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Derechos Human Rights
http://www.derechos.org/

URGENT ACTION

Argentina: Newspaper Attacks on Human Rights Activist

Derechos Human Rights is profoundly concerned about the publication by
Argentine newspaper Pagina 12 of an article repeating unsubstantiated
allegations against a well-known human rights organization and advocate.

In its edition of Thursday, April 17, Pagina 12 repeated allegations that
were published in the Spanish magazine Tiempo on April 7.  The article,
published under a pseudonym, alleged that Gregorio Dionis of Nizkor was
collaborating with Argentine secret agents to confuse Spanish judge
Baltasar Garzon in the trial of members of the Argentine military for the
torture, murders, and disappearances of Spanish citizens during the
military dictatorship from 1976 to 1983.

In the article, Mr. Dionis is described as a phantom figure feeding false
information to Judge Garzon.  In fact, Mr. Dionis is a devoted proponent of
human rights and has worked vigorously against the impunity enjoyed by many
Latin American militaries.  He has worked with and earned the respect of
Argentine human rights groups such as the Peace and Justice Service, the
Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo (Linea Fundadora), Families of the Detained
and Disappeared, and H.I.J.O.S. to promote human rights in Argentina.  The
Equipo Nizkor web site provides information about human rights violations
throughout Latin America, and has been used by over 100,000 people since it
was started last year.

Mr. Dionis' work against impunity in Latin America has made him the target
of several verbal attacks, and now this attempt to a smear campaign.  He
has been instrumental in the initiation of trials to Argentine and Chilean
military in Spain.  All the information that Equipo Nizkor and Izquierda
Unida have provided the authorities regarding these matter, was thoroughly
checked by human rights groups in these two countries prior to its being
offered.

Smear campaigns against human rights activists have a long history in Latin
America.  During the Dirty War Argentine newspapers dismissed the Mothers
of Plaza de Mayo as "madwomen" and categorized other human rights groups as
subversive. The defamations have the objective of hurting the reputation of
the human rights group, and shifting attention from human rights
violations.

ACTION

Please, write letters or send faxes to Pagina 12 requesting:

- -That the newspaper issue an apology to Mr. Dionis and Equipo Nizkor, and
publish a note rectifying all falsehoods in their April 17th article.

- -That in the future, Pagina 12 adhere to recognized journalistic
standards, and investigate allegations before printing them.

ADDRESSES

E-mail: pagina12@ba.net

MORE INFORMATION

- -Text of the Criminal Demand made by Gregorio Dionis against the magazine
Tiempo for libel and defamation:
http://www.derechos.org/nizkor/doc/DENUNW.htm

- -Letter from the Secretary of Human Rights of Izquierda Unida to Tiempo
magazine about the falsehoods in its article
http://www.derechos.org/nizkor/doc/iu.html

- -Press release by Derechos Human Rights
http://www.derechos.org/dionis.html

- -Article by Pagina 12
http
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