Uruguay's president has removed the country's commander-in-chief of the army after he questioned how local courts have handled cases involving members of the military accused of dictatorship-era human rights abuses.

The decision by President Tabare Vazquez to dismiss Gen. Guido Manini Rios was announced Tuesday in a statement by the presidency.

The statement said Manini told Vazquez in a meeting that courts had not granted due process to some of those accused of crimes against humanity committed during the 1973-1985 dictatorship. Manini also said that some were sentenced without proof or with forged evidence.

The presidency said he was removed because the decisions of the judiciary must be respected.

More than 40 members of the military have been investigated after being accused of human rights crimes.