Spain court rejects torture case extraditions
MADRID (AP) — Spain's National Court has rejected the extradition to Argentina of a second former police officer accused of torturing people during Spain's long dictatorship.
The court turned down the extradition of Spaniard Antonio Gonzalez Pacheco on Wednesday, saying his alleged offences in the 1970s were not crimes against humanity and thus had exceeded the statute of limitations.
The court recently rejected the extradition to Argentina of another former officer, Jesus Munecas, on similar grounds.
An Argentine investigative magistrate had sought their extradition for questioning under the principle of universal jurisdiction.
The judge took up the probe after a Spanish investigation into the dictatorship's crimes was halted in 2012. Spain was ruled by Gen. Francisco Franco from 1939 until his death in 1975.
