Paraguay Extradites Former Argentine Military Doctor

Asuncion, July 15. -Paraguay on Friday will extradite former Argentine military doctor Norberto A. Bianco, convicted of various crimes during the 1976-1983 military dictatorship.Bianco, a former traumatologist at the Campo de Mayo Military Hospital, will travel from Silvio Pettirossi International Airport in the city of Luque on an Argentine Airlines flight, the National Police reported.

Bianco, 66, is charged with unlawful imprisonment, torture, and homicide, violating articles 79, 140, and 144 of the Argentine Penal Code, and faces a maximum of 10 years in prison.

The defendant was previouly sentenced to house arrest, on May 7, 2008, in Paraguay, and his extradition comes several years after he unsuccessfully appealed his previous conviction.

The extradition request was made by a judge in San Martin province, Argentina.

This is the second time Bianco has been extradited. In 1997, he was extradited from Paraguay to Argentina to face an 11-year sentence, but only served two, was released, and returned to Paraguay. (Prensa Latina)