CHLS: Speaker and Film, Patricia Isasa

Argentine torture survivor Patricia Isasa fought for justice and transparency for 32 years.  Isasa was abducted by the military and police in her native Argentina when she was only 16 years old.  She was tortured and held for over two years at one of the 375 clandestine detention and torture centers set up during the dictatorship.  Unlike so many of the Disappeared, Isasa survived and was released (1979). She then compiled complaints to be presented to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of American States, which was about to visit Argentina.  She was abducted again along with another 30 men and women.  She was released after three days, but was one of only four to survive. Due to her exhaustive research, her torturers were  jailed. Even after receiving death, threats she  continued to work tirelessly and courageously to bring her perpetrators to justice.  After constant postponements in the trial date, Isasa was finally  able to face her torturers in federal court in September, 2009. In this historic trial all six torturers (including a federal judge and the mayor of Santa Fe) were found guilty of  committing crimes vs. humanity and were ordered to serve sentences from 19-23 years. Sponsors: Department of Chicano and Latino Studies, Student Services, Latin American Studies Program, Peace and Social Justice Program, Center for Peace and Social Justice