Approved for Release: 2018/09/17 C00724511 SECRET/NOFORN/NOCONTRACT/ORCON TRANSFERRED TO OTHER AGENCY47 CONCURRENCE REQUESTED - CIA INR WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS ' OF DEVELOPMENTS :IN HUMAN :RIGHTS. No. 43, February 9, 1978 ,Rsec / AMERICAN REPUBLICS EO 13526 3.5(c) NR Argentina List of 700 Detainees Released, .The government released on February 3 a list of slightly over 700 state-of-siege detainees (about 675 of whom are women). All are being held in Devoto prison, a woman's facility in Buenos Aires. Embassy Buenos Aires reports that a government statement accompanying the list emphasized that it was .a presidential initiative taken pursuant to President Videla's Christmas promise to publish the names of some 3,600 executive pris- oners. The newspaper, La Opinion, attributed the list and the recent activation of the right of option process (allow- ing state-of-siege prisoners to .petition for exile) to a presidential strategy allegedly adopted after Videla's meeting with President Carter in September 1977. While recognizing that the Devoto list was probably the easiest to get .out because .Devoto houses few if any dangerous suspects, Embassy Buenos Aires terns the list "a _significant move" forward. (LIMITED OFFICIAL USE, Buenos Aires 0903, February 4.) 'INR Comment: The Embassy speculates that the heavy play given to Videla's personal role in publishing the list . may have been an attempt to undercut fellow junta member and Navy Commander masseres efforts to portray himself as the only government figure concerned with human rights abuthes. Earlier reporting indicated that Videla decided to divulge the prisoner lists after becoming disgusted with the December kidnappings of individuals connected with the "Mothers of .the Plaza de Mayo." (LIMITED OFFICIAL USE) sECRET/NOFORN/NOCONTRACT/ORCON FO 72, Way Approved for Release: 2018/09/17 C00724511 3. 5(c) NR Approved for Release: 2018/09/17 C00724511 Approved for Release: 2018/09/17 C00724511 NR NR NR Approved for Release: 2018/09/17 C00724511 Approved for Release: 2018/09/17 C00724511 NR Approved for Release: 2018/09/17 C00724511 Approved for Release: 2018/09/17 C00724511 NR Approved for Release: 2018/09/17 C00724511 Approved for Release: 2018/09/17 C00724511 NR Approved for Release: 2018/09/17 C00724511 Approved for Release: 2018/09/17 C00724511 NR Approved for Release: 2018/09/17 C00724511 Approved for Release: 2018/09/17 C00724511 NR

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INR WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS OF DEVELOPMENTS IN HUMAN RIGHTS NO. 43, FEBRUARY 9, 1978[SANITIZED] - 1978/02/09