BUENOS AIRES, February 18 - RAPSI, Oleg Vyazmitinov. An Argentine court has handed down life sentences to seven former high-ranking army and navy officers and sentences ranging from 3 to 25 years to six naval officers for crimes against humanity, the Judiciary Information Center of the Supreme Court of Argentina announced on Saturday.

The 13 men have been declared guilty of crimes committed at a naval base during the military dictatorship in 1976-1983.

According to the document, retired General Alfredo Arrillaga and retired naval officers Juan Jose Lombardo, Raul Alberto Marino, Roberto Pertussio, Rafael Guinazu, Jose Lodigiani and Mario Forbice were issued life sentences. Former naval officer Justo Alberto Ignacio Ortiz was sentenced for 25 years, coast guard officers Juan Eduardo Mosqueda and Julio Cesar Falcke for 14 years, Angel Narciso Racedo for 12, Ariel Macedonio Silva for 10 and seaman Juan Carlos Guyot for 3 years.

The court also ordered an investigation into the possibility that certain civilians, including judges, prosecutors, lawyers and police officers, were guilty of keeping these crimes secret.

The court declared all the defendants guilty of premeditated murder under aggravating circumstances, illegal imprisonment and use of torture against 69 people. These crimes were committed at the Mar del Plata naval base, 400 kilometers south of Buenos Aires.

Dozens of trials have been held in Argentina since 2003, when the laws on amnesty for former military personnel were invalidated. According to NGOs, about 30,000 people went missing during the period of Argentina's military dictatorship.