A COURT yesterday sentenced a former army general to life in prison and three ex-state agents to 20 or 25 years for crimes against humanity committed in a notorious torture centre during Argentina’s military dictatorship.

Uruguay’s last dictator, Gregorio Alvarez, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for 37 homicides during the nation’s 1973-1985 military regime, when dissidents disappeared in a region-wide crackdown on leftists called Operation Condor.

Chile’s Supreme Court has refused to strip General Augusto Pinochet of his immunity from prosecution, blocking yet another attempt to try him for alleged human rights abuses during his dictatorship.

Chile’s Supreme Court has stripped former dictator Augusto Pinochet of his immunity from prosecution, reviving the hopes of his foes who want him to stand trial for atrocities under his 1973-1990 regime.