Argentina - June 2025

On 10 June, Argentina’s Supreme Court upheld a 2022 federal court conviction of former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner on corruption charges, rejecting her appeals. The ruling permanently bans her from holding public office and sentences her to six years in prison, to be served under house arrest. Tens of thousands Fernández de Kirchner’s supporters demonstrated against the ruling nationwide, calling it an undemocratic attempt to sideline the opposition’s leading figure. In an already polarized political climate, the verdict has sharply divided legal experts and politicians. Some view it as a victory for judicial independence and accountability, while others see it as a politically motivated move, rushed through ahead of critical midterm elections. Her legal team has announced plans to appeal the decision to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, although experts note that the process may take several years and is unlikely to yield different results.

Sources: International IDEA, Chequeado, El pais, Buenos Aires Times, La Nacion

On 17 June, President Javier Milei announced significant changes to Argentina’s federal police through Decree 383/2025. The decree aims to redefine the functions, objectives and mission of the federal police, transforming it into a criminal investigation force. Human rights organizations have raised concerns, warning that the decree grants the police discretionary powers to carry out arrests and surveillance without judicial warrants under weak oversight mechanisms. They argue that the vague provisions could enable the criminalization of dissent and cyber-patrolling of opponents with grave impacts on civil liberties. Critics also contend that such structural reforms require congressional approval and broad public debate involving civil society. Opposition politicians have announced plans to challenge the decree, calling it unconstitutional for exceeding the scope of the legislative powers granted to President Milei under the controversial ‘Ley Bases’.

Sources: El Pais, Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales, Chequeado, Presidencia de la Nacion, Infobae, International IDEA