The Right to Truth in Transitional Justice Contexts: Experience of Latin American States (the Case of Argentina)

 
PIIS0044748X0009122-3-1
DOI10.31857/S0044748X0009122-3
Publication type Article
Status Published
Authors
Affiliation: University of Tyumen
Address: Russian Federation, Tyumen
Journal nameLatin America
EditionIssue 5
Pages43-52
Abstract

The right to truth is a relatively recent concept that emerged in international law in the 1980–1990s in the post-conflict or transitional settings. Countries of Latin America contributed significantly to the development and conceptualization of this right, since it was there that the right to truth was actively explored in a numerous political, judicial and non-governmental initiatives set up to combat the problem of enforced disappearances. This article starts with an overview of the right to truth in international and regional documents, then proceeds with an analysis of a number of relevant Inter-American Court of Human Rights cases, and finally, looks at Argentina as a country that underwent a long transitional process and set up various institutions to deal with the past crimes. Despite continuous disagreement as to the extent and scope of the right to truth concept, at least, in the field of enforced disappearances we can consider it binding due to extensive case-law, both international and domestic, as well as its inclusion in various regional and international documents.

Keywordsright to truth, transitional justice, Argentina, enforced disappearance
Received27.01.2020
Publication date07.05.2020
Number of characters18522
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