This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-24357658

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
Ecuador begins landmark trial of crimes against humanity Ecuador officers face arrest over 'crimes against humanity'
(about 2 hours later)
A court in Ecuador has begun hearings into the country's first-ever trial of alleged crimes against humanity. A judge has ordered the arrest of three army and police officers in Ecuador's first trial involving alleged crimes against humanity.
Chief prosecutor Galo Chiriboga has requested that 10 army and police officers be put under house arrest. They are part of a group of 10 former senior officers accused of abducting and torturing members of an illegal opposition group in 1985.
They are accused of torture, sexual violence and the abduction of three opponents of the government in 1985. Judge Lucy Blacio ordered that six other retired senior officers be put under house arrest.
The alleged crimes took place during the government of late President Leon Febres Cordero, who was in power between 1984 and 1988. Activists travelled to Quito for the opening day of the landmark trial.
Mr Chiriboga also requested that the assets of the 10 retired officers - five army colonels, four army generals and one police general - be frozen . The events took place under the government of late President Leon Febres Cordero, who was in power from 1984 to 1988.
The three victims - Susana Cajas, Javier Jarrin and Luis Vaca - will appear in court next week to give details of their ordeal. Chief prosecutor Galo Chiriboga had requested that ten retired police officers be detained or put under house arrest.
They were detained for alleged links with an illegal rebel group, the Eloy Alfaro Popular Armed Forces. Ms Blacio rejected the request to have one of the accused detained: an elderly army general who is seriously ill.
But he was told he cannot leave the country.
The three victims - Susana Cajas, Javier Jarrin and Luis Vaca - were detained in November 1985 for alleged links with an underground opposition group, the Eloy Alfaro Popular Armed Forces.
They will testify next week and are expected to give details of their ordeal.
'Tortured and beaten''Tortured and beaten'
Sitting in court next to Ms Cajas and Mr Vaca, Mr Chiriboga denounced the cruelty of the crimes committed 28 years ago. Ms Cajas and Mr Vaca were in court today alongside Mr Chiriboga, who denounced the cruelty of the crimes committed 28 years ago.
"They were tortured, beaten, and submitted to particularly sadistic forms of torture, including electric shocks to their genitals" he said."They were tortured, beaten, and submitted to particularly sadistic forms of torture, including electric shocks to their genitals" he said.
Defence lawyers at Quito's National Court of Justice have asked the prosecutor to clarify his accusations. Defence lawyers have asked the prosecutor to clarify his accusations.
Lawyers, politicians and human rights activists from other Latin American countries were at the National Court of Justice in the capital, Quito, for the landmark trial. Lawyers, politicians and human rights activists from other Latin American countries were at the National Court of Justice in the capital, Quito, for the trial.
Among them was Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino.Among them was Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino.
The director of the Prosecutor's Office Truth Commission, Fidel Jaramillo, said crimes against humanity only began to be investigated in 2007, when left-wing President Rafael Correa came into power.The director of the Prosecutor's Office Truth Commission, Fidel Jaramillo, said crimes against humanity only began to be investigated in 2007, when left-wing President Rafael Correa came into power.
"They were never tried in Ecuador because there was never the political will to do so," the director of , Mr Jaramillo told the Efe news agency."They were never tried in Ecuador because there was never the political will to do so," the director of , Mr Jaramillo told the Efe news agency.