The investigation into the reported death of Argentinian prosecutor Alberto Nisman must be thorough, prompt and impartial, the ICJ said today.
The prosecutor had last week publicly accused the President of Argentina, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, of involvement in a cover-up of an investigation against Iran in relation to the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community centre.
According to news reports, Alberto Nisman (photo) was found dead in his bathtub on Sunday night.
A prosecutor told journalists that the cause of death was under investigation and that a weapon had been found.
Alberto Nisman had been due to take part in a closed-door hearing in Congress on Monday to explain his accusations against the President.
Particularly given the sensitive nature of the allegations and the timing of his death, to ensure compliance with international standards and public confidence the ICJ considers that, among other things:
- the investigation must be thorough, prompt and impartial;
- family members must be kept fully informed and have access to all information relevant to the investigation; and
- a report of the methods and findings of the investigation must be made public immediately once the investigation has effectively been completed.
Photo credit: Martín Rosenzveig