ARGENTINA: Ms Ernestina Herrera de Noble, aged 77, owner of Argentina's biggest-selling daily newspaper Clarin, spent her fourth day in prison yesterday after charges of "child theft, forgery of documents and tampering with identity" were filed against her.
Federal Judge Roberto Marquevich initiated criminal proceedings on behalf of the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo, a human right's group dedicated to uncovering the true identity of children kidnapped during military rule (1976 - 83).
Army death squads kidnapped, tortured and killed thousands of women, allowing those discovered to be pregnant to give birth inside secret death camps.Once the baby was born the mother was murdered and her child handed over to adoptive parents. At least 270 children are suspected of being born in such circumstances, with 64 children so far recovered by the Grand-mothers human right's group, through advanced DNA tests.
Ms Noble is accused of falsifying adoption papers to secure legal custody of Marcela and Felipe de Noble, aged 26 and 24, respectively.
In a controversial move Mr Marquevich also ordered a compulsory DNA test to be carried out on Ms Noble's two children, despite their opposition, to determine parenthood.
In a statement issued through Clarin, Ms Noble firmly denied the charges and condemned her arrest as "arbitrary, abusive and illegal". Ms Noble announced the adoption of her first child in 1976, claiming she had simply turned up on her doorstep. The remarkable miracle was repeated two years later.