ARGENTINE SUPREME COURT REPORTEDLY ORDERS TIMERMAN'S RELEASE - 1979/09/20

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Argentina Declassification Project - The "Dirty War" (1976-83)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06626783
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: April 3, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 12, 2019
• Publication Date: September 20, 1979

Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06626783
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CLASSIFICATION
CONFIDENTIAL
DRAFTED BY
POL:AG
GDS 9/20/85 (FREEMAN. ANTHONY GJOR-P
SHUM AR
(U) ARGENTINE SUPREME COURT REPORTEDLY ORDERS TIMERMAN'S
RELEASE
SECSTATE WASHDC NIACT IMMEDIATE
CONFIDENTIAL BUENOS AIRES 7834
REF: BUENOS AIRES 4943
1. (U) SEVERAL NEWSPAPERS CARRIED STORIES SEPTEMBER 20
REPORTING A RECENT SUPREME COURT DECISION ORDERING THE
RELEASE OF NEWSPAPER PUBLISHER JACOBO TIMERMAN, WHO HAS BEEN
HELD UNDER ARREST BY THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE PAST TWO AND
A HALF YEARS. TIMERMAN IS CURRENTLY UNDER HOUSE ARREST
AT THE DISPOSITION OF THE MILITARY JUNTA.
2. (U) THE ACCOUNTS IN THE VARIOUS NEWSPAPERS DIFFER ON
DETAILS. ACCORDING TO LA NACION'S VERSION, WHICH IS IN
CONSIDERABLY GREATER DETAIL, THE SUPREME COURT IN A
DECISION DATED SEPTEMBER 17 DECIDED: (A) TO REVOKE
TIMERMANIS ARREST STATUS; (B) AGREE TO THE HABEAS CORPUS
PETITION PRESENTED IN TIMERMAN'S FAVOR; AND (C) INTERCEDE
WITH THE MILITARY JUNTA WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF OBTAINING
HIS RELEASE. ACCORDING TO THE LA NACION STORY. THE COURT
DRAFTING DATE
9/20/79
TEL EXT
278
CLEARANCES
50153-101
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CONTENTS AND cLASSIFICA PRoVED BY
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7
CLASSIFICATION
Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06626783
OPTIONAL FORM 153
(Formerly FS-413)
January 1978
Dept of State
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Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06626783
CONFIDENTIAL
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F TRANSMITTED ITS DECISION TO THE CURRENT SECRETARY OF �1
THE MILITARY JUNTA, ARMY GENERAL BIGNONE ON SEPTEMBER 18.
3. (U) THE NACION STORY INDICATES THAT THE OPINION IS
BASED ON THE PETITIONER'S CHALLENGE AGAINST TIMERMAN'S
DETENTION NIKE UNDER THE ACT OF INSTITUTIONAL
RESPONSIBILITY AS OPPOSED TO THE GOA'S PEN AUTHORITY
HOWEVER
ON WHICH THE COURT HAS ALREADY RULED. /WE ARE NOT CLEAR
AS TO THE DETAILS OF THE DECISION.
4. (U) THE HERALD REPORTS THAT THE COURT'S REQUEST FOR
TIMERMAN'S LATEST RELEASE IS IN THE HANDS OF JUSTICE
MINISTER RODRIGUEZ VARELA AND THAT NO ACTION WILL BE
TAKEN ON IT UNTIL NEXT WEEK. HERALD SOURCES REPORTED
THAT GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES WERE STUDYING THE CASE AS
OF YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.
6. (U) WE ARE CHECKING FURTHER.
7. (C) ACCORDING TO A WELL-INFORMED HUMAN RIGHTS SOURCES
THE COURT HAD INDIRECTLY SUGGESTED TO TIMERMAN'S LAWYER
SOME MONTHS AGO THAT IT MIGHT ACT FAVORABLY IF A
CHALLENGE WERE PRESENTED AGAINST TIMERMAN'S DETENTION
ON THE BASIS OF THE ACT OF INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY.
CASTRO
CONFIDENTIAL
Closed:cat:on
Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06626783
OPTIONAL FORM 1520(14)
(Formerly FS-413(H)a)
January 1975
Dept of State