French Court of Appeal to rule on Argentina’s extradition request for Mario Sandoval

On 19 October, France’s Court of Appeal in Versailles is expected to hand down judgment on Argentina’s request to extradite Mario Arturo Sandoval. Mr Sandoval is accused by Argentina of involvement in various human rights abuses during the country’s 1976-83 military dictatorship.

Mr Sandoval has held French citizenship since 1997, and has been resident in France since 1985. Argentina’s request for his extradition was lodged in 2012 as part of an Argentinian judge’s investigation into abuses that took place at a covert detention centre hidden beneath the School of Marine Mechanics in Buenos Aires. The French courts are focusing on only one particular case of abuse – the disappearance of Hernan Abriata, a 25-year-old architecture student whose body has never been found. Mr Sandoval argues that he is the victim of mistaken identity.