We, the undersigned, demand the immediate resignation (dismissal) of Prosecutor Fernando Arrigo, head of the Decentralized Prosecutor’s Office of Bariloche, due to the systematic abuse of authority, violations of human rights, falsification and manipulation of evidence, as well as gross violations of the principles of a fair trial.
In recent years, a troubling practice has emerged in Argentina whereby certain prosecutors, including Fernando Arrigo, expand their powers far beyond the limits established by law, creatively interpret legal norms, ignore or falsify evidence, and use ideological stereotypes instead of facts. This particularly affects cases involving religious minorities, dissidents, and activists.

Specific facts regarding Arrigo’s cases:

* In the case of Konstantin Rudnev (a Russian spiritual teacher and dissident arrested in Bariloche in 2025), Arrigo demonstrates clear personal bias. Despite Rudnev’s extremely serious health condition — after 14 months of inhumane conditions in Unidad 6 in Rawson he emerged virtually disabled and immediately underwent surgery — the prosecutor continues to insist on his return to prison. This is despite the fact that 11 years of previous imprisonment in Russia had already severely damaged his immune system, while conditions in the Argentine prison (cold temperatures, broken windows, unsanitary conditions) pose a real threat to his life.

* Arrigo appears in the high-profile Franco Casco case (the disappearance and death of a young man in Rosario in 2014). The police officers whom he accused filed a complaint against Arrigo himself for falsification of evidence. This complaint still remains inactive in the Office of the Attorney General.

* In the case of Mapuche leader Facundo Jones Huala, Arrigo repeatedly extended pretrial detention without filing formal charges, ignored the detainee’s health condition (including a severe hunger strike that resulted in internal bleeding and intensive care hospitalization), and appealed a judge’s decision to transfer him to more humane conditions. Human rights advocates regard such actions as an abuse of power and a violation of fundamental rights.

Similar problems can also be observed in cases involving spiritual communities (Evangelical pastors, the “Cómo Vivir por Fe” movement, the International Tabernacle Church, and others), where the prosecution service (including PROTEX structures) applies an excessively broad interpretation of anti-human-trafficking legislation to voluntary religious activities, using the pseudoscientific concept of “coercive persuasion” and automatically classifying believers as “victims.”

Complaints regarding the actions of prosecutors, including Arrigo, are submitted to the Office of the Attorney General but are systematically ignored or quickly dismissed “for lack of grounds.” This creates an atmosphere of complete impunity.

Argentina is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the American Convention on Human Rights. These instruments require strict compliance with legality, proportionality, and due process. Prosecutorial abuse undermines public trust in the justice system and places people’s lives and freedoms at risk.

We demand:

1. The immediate resignation (dismissal) of Prosecutor Fernando Arrigo.

2. An independent investigation into all of the above-mentioned cases involving his participation.

3. Reform of the prosecutorial system to ensure genuine accountability of prosecutors for abuses of power and human rights violations.

The President of Argentina, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Security must ensure oversight, transparency, and respect for human rights within the criminal justice system.

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