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| Ecuador begins landmark trial of crimes against humanity | Ecuador begins landmark trial of crimes against humanity |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A court in Ecuador has begun hearings into the country's first-ever trial of alleged crimes against humanity. | |
| Prosecutors have accused 10 police and army officers of torture, sexual violence and the abduction of three opponents of the government in 1985. | Prosecutors have accused 10 police and army officers of torture, sexual violence and the abduction of three opponents of the government in 1985. |
| The alleged crimes took place during the government of late President Leon Febres Cordero, who was in power between 1984 and 1988. | The alleged crimes took place during the government of late President Leon Febres Cordero, who was in power between 1984 and 1988. |
| In the next few days, the prosecutor's office will set out its case. | In the next few days, the prosecutor's office will set out its case. |
| The three victims - Susana Cajas, Javier Jarrin and Luis Vaca - will appear in court next week to give details of their ordeal. | The three victims - Susana Cajas, Javier Jarrin and Luis Vaca - will appear in court next week to give details of their ordeal. |
| They were detained for alleged links with an illegal rebel group, the Eloy Alfaro Popular Armed Forces. | They were detained for alleged links with an illegal rebel group, the Eloy Alfaro Popular Armed Forces. |
| "Crimes against humanity were never tried in Ecuador because there was never the political will to do so," the director of the Prosecutor's Office Truth Commission, Fidel Jaramillo, told the EFE news agency. | "Crimes against humanity were never tried in Ecuador because there was never the political will to do so," the director of the Prosecutor's Office Truth Commission, Fidel Jaramillo, told the EFE news agency. |
| He said the investigations into such crimes only began in 2007, when left-wing President Rafael Correa came into power. | He said the investigations into such crimes only began in 2007, when left-wing President Rafael Correa came into power. |
| Lawyers and human rights activists from other Latin American countries have travelled to Quito for the landmark trial at the National Court of Justice. | Lawyers and human rights activists from other Latin American countries have travelled to Quito for the landmark trial at the National Court of Justice. |