Spain Rejects Court?s Extradition Request for Argentine ?Dirty War? Violations, but Argentina Arrests Astiz on French Extradition Request

The Spanish government overturned the ruling of one of its courts on August 29, 2003, rejecting Judge Baltasar Garz?n?s request to extradite 40 persons accused of genocide for their actions in Argentina during the ?dirty war,? from 1976-83. Spain?s government wrote that prosecution of these war crimes should occur in Argentina, which had previously removed immunity from its military officials. The move undermines extraterritorial jurisdiction in human rights cases, though Argentina arrested Alfredo Astiz on a French extradition request for his crimes during the same war.