The Permanent Assembly for Human Rights (APDH) is the result of a 1975 summons by Argentines from the most diverse social, political, intellectual, vocational, and religious sectors of the country, in response to the growing situation of violence and the country’s increasing failure to uphold the most basic human rights.  

The APDH, along with other similar organizations, was given the difficult and risky task of defending lives and rights during the tragic years of the military dictatorship (1976-1983). Within this group of human rights organizations, the APDH had certain characteristics which permitted it to play a role of its own as well as be publically recognized, both within the country and abroad:

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Hundreds of Organizations Continue the Fight for Human Rights



To commemorate the 34th anniversary of the beginning of the reign of the military junta in Argentina, hundreds of organizations that advocate for human rights marched toward Plaza de Mayo in the afternoon of March 24. This Day of Memory was a demonstration of the unity of these organizations in their mission to work toward human rights. They all remembered the 30,000 people who were disappeared from 1976 after the military coup until 1983, and the march on Wednesday, a national holiday, was an opportunity to share these memories with the world. The Permanent Assembly for Human Rights was one of the hundreds of groups that supported the purpose of the march.

Parades occurred all day in many parts of Argentina and Buenos Aires in particular, but the march toward Plaza de Mayo was one of the most successful. A flag with images of many of the desaparecidos and a day of powerful speeches were the highlights of the ceremony.

More than a march, the Day of Memory was a symbol of a simple message: Never Again. The thousands of people who participated in the parade wanted to express the need for all of the citizens of Argentina and of the world to reject the violent dominion of governments and human rights violations. Thus, it was a plea to remember the people who died, but it was also a resolution of all those present to unite, be vigilant, and refuse to accept the corruption of power again.

Tiles for Memory

On March 26th a crowd gathered outside of the APDH building on Avenida Callao to honor the memory of Sister Alice Domon and Sister Léonie Duquet, two French nuns who were disappeared under the military government in 1977. A tile was placed on the street that read:

“Sister Alice Domon and Sister Léonie Duquet,
French nuns detained and disappeared by terrorism of the state
for being faithful to their people and religion
on the 8th and 10th of December 1977”

CONFAR, the Argentinean Conference of Religion, and APDH, the Permanent Assembly for Human Rights, gathered together along with others to listen to speeches and sing songs in order to honor these two nuns and other members of the Church disappeared for their beliefs during this time. The theme of the tribute was memory and justice for the disappeared.

The new audiovisual communication services law
September 28, 2009

The Permanent Assembly for Human Rights stands by their position in favor of the treatment and sanction of the new audiovisual communication services law...

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APDH condemns the repression in Honduras
September 23, 2009

The Permanent Assembly for Human Rights expresses its consternation and repudiation of the violent repression against the Honduran people who mobilized in defense of the democratic government of President Manuel Zelaya in front of the Brazilian Embassy in Tegucigalpa...

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Voices and Silences of Discrimination
Thursday September 24, 2009

Horacio Ravenna is the Vice-President of the Permanent Assembly for Human Rights. He briefly introduced himself and the morning panel, and gave some information about each individual and what their focus was on. He also explained how the project of Independence and Access to Justice in Latin America was in its second phase with the goal of giving more freedom to judges and lawyers. In this conference, he hopes that a universal concept of human rights, with respect to total diversity, will be addressed...

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Statement before the new political stage in the country
President´s Council, August 2009

Due to its commitment in defense of human rights, the Permanent Assembly for Human Rights (APDH) wishes to express its opinion about the new political stage that opened after the latest legislative elections. Our organization since its beginnings in 1975 has had a a religious, social, and pluralistic political formation. In relation to the chosen governments by the people, we have adopted an autonomous political position...

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Report: Changes to the Current Broadcasting Law, March 16th 2009

This report discusses the proposed changes to the 1980 Broadcasting Law. It outlines fundamental aspects of the former law as well as highlights proposed changes for the new one. The aforementioned Broadcasting Law is a product of the military dictatorship and has been altered by successive governments throughout the democracy...

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Campaign for the Universal Ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of All People From Enforced Disappearance.
The International Coalition against Enforced Disappearances

Concerned about the few number of ratifications to the United Nations´ Convention for the Protection of All People from Enforced Disappearance, The Permanent Assembly for Human Rights (Argentina), has initiated a campaign to motivate countries to ratify and promptly establish this Convention. The declaration was presented at the 10th session of the Council of Human Rights; which occurred from March 2nd to 27th in Geneva, Switzerland.

Solidarity for the Movimiento de Sacerdotes Villeros
(Movement of Villa (Shantytown) Priests) of Buenos Aires City.

In the defense of violated human rights and in support of those fighting for these rights, we are publicizing our recognition and support for the ¨Movimiento de Sacerdotes Villeros¨ (The Movement of Villa (Shantytown) Priests). One of these aforementioned priests suffered death threats in April 2009, stipulating that he would be murdered if he did not leave that particular area of Barracas (Villa 21) where he has lived and worked as the parish Priest for over eleven years.

Passing of Former President and Founding Member of the APDH
Raúl Ricardo Alfonsín
March 12, 1927 - March 31, 2009

Raúl Alfonsín, the first democratic President of Argentina after the end of military governance in 1983, died of lung cancer at his home in Buenos Aires on March 31st. Governing during a time of tremendous upheavel marked by hyperinflation, an economic turndown and several failed coups, he nonetheless fought for justice and human rights. In addition to helping create the APDH, under his government, members of the former military junta were prosecuted for their crimes.

International Conference on NATO, the 4th United States Fleet and the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).
Buenos Aires, March 19 and 20, 2009

This event opposed the commemoration plans that the United States government and its Military allies had for NATO´s 60th anniversary on April 4th. The gathering sought to denounce this warlike alliance and convene instead to stand up for peace in the South Atlantic and the recognition of Argentine sovereignty in the Falklands and the South Georgia and Sandwich Islands, as well as the usurped adjacent seas.

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The search for Luciano Arruga
Disappeared on January 31st, 2009

Luciano Arruga, a sixteen year old youth, was kidnapped in the jurisdiction of the Police Station of Lomas del Mirador. Witnesses can attest that they last saw him at the aforementioned police station and that he was savagely beaten. Luciano, like many other children of modest means from this neighborhood, had been constantly harassed by the police. Considering the gravity of the situation, a group of non-governmental organizations and other social and political associations, including the ADPH, demand that Luciano Arruga be found alive and that justice be served for those responsible.

Searching for Jorge Julio López
Disappeared on September 18th, 2006

Julio López is a retired bricklayer who, in 2006, testified against Miguel Etchecolatz, director of investigations of the Buenos Aires provincial police during the dictatorship, regarding his role in the kidnappings of October of 1976. López was detained in several clandestine centers during the ´National Reorganization Process´ and had been able to identify Etchecolatz as one of the men that tortured him during his detention in the 5th Police station in La Plata (Comisaría 5 de La Plata) in 1976.

This trial against Etchecolatz was one of the first after the government reopened the possibility for cases to be brought against former military (nullifying the past ´pardon laws´, prohibiting the prosecution of officials during the dictatorship). The proceedings found Etchecolatz guilty. However, López went missing under mysterious circumstances hours before he was to be present at the law suit’s final statements at Municipal government building in La Plata and his whereabouts have been unknown since Monday September 18 of 2006. Due to the importance of this case, many human rights organizations, postulate that López ´s disappearance was to scare other witnesses from coming forward against members of the former regime and as such, view his disappearance as strong evidence to indicate that ´corrupt mechanisms´ may still be at work in the government and the police, even in this period of democracy.