Kissinger’s Involvement in Coup Investigated
The initiation of legal action against General Pinochet and
the declassification of some
See AP, “Lawyers seek to reactivate investigation of killing of American filmmaker under Pinochet”
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020328/ap_wo_en_ge/chile_slain_filmmaker_5
The
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/28/international/americas/28KISS.html
TJB File:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Authorities Exhume Remains at Request of Slain Diplomat's Family
6 May 2002
The family of Carmelo Soria, a Spanish diplomat who was
killed in Chile during Augusto Pinochet's rule, had a tomb opened in late April
to determine whether the remains inside are indeed those of the slain
diplomat. Soria was detained in 1976 by
security agents, and later his body was found in his car at the bottom of a
canal in
See: AP, Remains exhumed to determine whether they are those of Spanish diplomat killed under Pinochet
TJB File:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Declassified
19 May 2002
Recent U.S. State Department and C.I.A. reports suggest that
Boris Weisfeiler, a
See: The New York Times, Chilean Mystery: Clues to Vanished American (registration required)
TJB File:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Court Opens Hearings on Resumption of Pinochet Trial
20 May 2002
The Supreme Court of Chile opened hearings last week on whether a case against former dictator Augusto Pinochet for kidnappings and homicides could be reopened. Court-appointed doctors last year found Pinochet physically and mentally unfit to stand trial. The high court is not ruling on the facts of the case but rather on whether any judicial mistakes were made in the decision. In related news, as part of the investigation into the killing of journalist Charles Horman (whose story was told in the 1982 film, “Missing”), judicial officials orchestrated a reenactment of the round-up in the National Stadium where Horman was last seen.
See: AP, Chile's
top court opens hearings on whether to resume Pinochet trial
Reuters, U.S.
Witnesses Relive 'Missing' Horror in Chile
TJB File:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Judge May Seek Kissinger’s Extradition
Chilean Judge Juan Guzman may file an extradition order to bring former U.S.
Secretary of State Henry Kissinger to
See: The Guardian, Kissinger
may face extradition to Chile
TJB File:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Court Rules Pinochet Unfit for Trial
The Supreme Court of Chile this week upheld a lower court decision that deemed former dictator General Augusto Pinochet mentally unfit to stand trial. Pinochet was to stand trial for 18 kidnappings and 57 homicides that occurred shortly after he toppled President Salvador Allende in a military coup. Later in the week, Pinochet quit his post as senator-for-life.
See: AP, Chile High Court: No Pinochet Trial
AP, Ex-Dictator Pinochet Quits Senate Post
TJB File:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Senate Erupts in Protest Before Pinochet Resignation
As the Chilean Senate was preparing to debate the resignation of former military leader and senator-for-life General Augusto Pinochet, protestors raised placards and verbally denounced the dictator. As police tried to remove the protestors, violence broke out and the Senate session was suspended.
AFP, End of era in
Chile as Pinochet prepares to formally exit politics
BBC, Pinochet
session suspended after protest
TJB File:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Court To Consider
Pinochet Extradition Request
A Chilean court this
week agreed to open hearings on a request for former dictator General Augusto
Pinochet’s extradition to
See: AP, Court
agrees to open hearings in extradition request for Pinochet
TJB File:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHILE
Judge Sentences Retired Army Officer for 1982 Assassination
August 7, 2002
Following three years of investigation, Chilean Judge Sergio Muñoz this week
sentenced retired army major Carlos Herrera Jiménez to life in prison for
masterminding the 1982 assassination of union leader Tucapel Jiménez.
Several other officers received lighter sentences for their involvement in
the assassination.
See: Inter Press Service (IPS), Pinochet-Era Officers Sentenced in Unionist
Killing
<http://dailynews.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=655&ncid=655&e=2&u=/oneworl
d/20020806/wl_oneworld/1032_1028638517>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Investigation Into Secret "Comando Conjunto" Unit
Launched
September 11, 2002
Human rights groups and the Chilean government filed lawsuits on September 10
calling for an investigation into the regrouping of the secret "Comando
Conjunto" unit, previously used to attack leftist parties and now
allegedly organizing to block legal action against former security forces
accused of human rights abuses during Pinochet's rule. Also, police in
See: OneWorld.net (IPS), Secret Unit Allegedly Regroups to Shield Rights Violators
AP, Retired Chilean Officer Arrested
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Court Blocks Pinochet Extradition
October 14, 2002
A Chilean appeals court has blocked the extradition of former dictator Augusto
Pinochet to Argentina, citing a previous high court ruling that found Pinochet
mentally and physically unfit to stand trial. An Argentine court has requested
that Pinochet go to
See: AP, New Extradition
of Pinochet Blocked
AP, Retired Chilean General
Arrested
New York Times, Chile General
Quits in Wake of Charges
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Judge Indicts Former Army Officers in Killing
October 24, 2002
Chilean Judge Olga Perez has indicted six former army officers in the 1993
killing in Uruguay of Eugenio Berrios, a chemist who worked with former
dictator Augusto Pinochet's secret service. The officers are suspected of
killing Berrios because he planned to return to
See: AP, Chile Officers
Indicted in Killing
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Former Secret Police Officers Charged for Prats Murder
February 26, 2003
Five former officers with the Chilean secret police have been arrested for the
1974 murder of General Carlos Prats, Augusto Pinochet's predecessor as army
chief. Prats and his wife, Sofia Cuthbert, were murdered in a car bomb attack
in
See: Reuters, Pinochet
Spy Chiefs Charged in 1974 Murder Case
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pinochet's Secret Police Chief Sentenced to 15 Years
April 17, 2003
A judge has sentenced former General Manuel Contreras, who headed the secret
police during General Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship in Chile, to 15 years in
prison in connection with the disappearance of Carlos Sandoval, a dissident who
was apprehended by security forces in 1975 and was never seen again. Contreras
has already completed a prison term for his role in the 1976 car-bomb murder of
Chilean diplomat Orlando Letelier in
See: The Guardian, Ex-Secret Police Chief Sentenced in Chile
Reuters, Pinochet spy chief gets jail sentence, appeals
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Former Secret Police Chief Charged
May 17, 2003
A Chilean judge has charged Manuel Contreras, former head of Augusto Pinochet's
secret police, known as DINA, in the 1974 kidnapping and disappearance of
Spanish priest Antonio Llido. Eight other DINA members have also been charged
in the case.
See: Reuters, Chilean charged
in 'missing' Spanish priest case
Voice of America, Former
Chilean Secret Police Chief Charged in Disappearance of Priest
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chilean Generals Admit Exhumations
July 4, 2003
Eight former army generals in Chile issued a statement admitting that secret graves
of people killed by the military were later dug up so that the bodies could be
disposed of. Earlier, a Chilean judge initiated proceedings against five former
members of the armed forces on charges of illegally exhuming bodies, but the
signatories of the statement were not among those indicted. The statement
called for prosecutions for the crimes. One of those indicted, Eliseo Cornejo,
confessed to the El Murcurio newspaper to taking part in exhuming and
discarding the bodies. Cornejo said he was a low-ranking officer following
orders and did not play a direct role in the killings or exhumations.
See: Reuters, Chilean
Tells of Bodies Hidden Under Pinochet Rule
BBC, Pinochet
generals admit exhumations
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lagos to Widen Reparations Program
August 4, 2003
President Ricardo Lagos wants to widen the reparations available to victims who
suffered under General Augusto Pinochet's 1973-1990 military dictatorship.
Lagos has planned to present a comprehensive human rights plan for the country
that will provide greater compensation to victims and hasten pending trials
against the 160 alleged perpetrators accused of kidnapping, torture, and
murder. The plan includes a 50 percent increase in the pensions given to
victims and an extension of the reparations program to more individuals.
Congress is expected to approve the plan.
See: Reuters, Chile
Makes New Bid to Heal Wounds of Dictatorship
Reuters, Pinochet
Calls on Retired Generals to Remain United
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Court Rules Against New Pinochet Trial
A panel of judges on the Chilean Appeals Court has struck down a new petition
to strip former dictator Augusto Pinochet of his immunity from prosecution for
human rights violations. A court ruled in 2001 that Pinochet was mentally
incompetent to stand trial. Human rights lawyers said they would continue to
press forward with hundreds of other cases. The panel also rejected a request
for new medical exams. Lawyers argued that Pinochet must be in good health
because he recently gave a speech to retired generals.
See: Reuters, Chile
Court Rules Out New Pinochet Rights Trial
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nation Marks 30th Anniversary of Coup
In an official ceremony, Chilean President Ricardo Lagos marked the 30th
anniversary of the
See: AFP, In Chile, 30th anniversary of Pinochet's rise highlights
political strains
Reuters, Chile Takes Painful Look at Coup 30 Years Later
BBC, Chile remembers 1973 coup
AP, Chileans Mark Coup's 30th Anniversary
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
U.S. Jury Orders
Former Officer to Pay Damages
A jury in
See: San Jose Mercury News, Bay Area family wins civil
case over brother's '73 death in Chile
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Report Details Dumping of Disappeared Into Ocean
Court testimonies, published recently in the Chilean newspaper La Nacion, have revealed that at least 400 Chileans who were disappeared during ex-dictator Augusto Pinochet’s regime were dumped into the ocean with pieces of railroad track tied to their bodies. Twelve retired helicopter mechanics have broken decades of silence about the killings to Judge Juan Guzman, who is investigating human rights violations under Pinochet’s regime.
See: Reuters, Report:
Chilean ‘Disappeared’ Dumped Into Ocean
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gonzalez Indicted for Horman Killing
A court in
See: AP, Chilean Indicted in Filmmaker’s Slaying
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Court Attempts New Trial of Pinochet
The Santiago Court of Appeals has agreed to hear a case that would strip former dictator Augusto Pinochet of his immunity for human rights abuses committed during his regime from 1973 to 1990. The focus of the case is “Operation Condor,” a coordinated campaign by dictators in several South American countries to kill leftist opposition supporters. The Supreme Court had ruled that the former dictator is mentally and physically unfit to stand trial, but human rights lawyers are citing a recent television interview with Pinochet that portrays him as neither senile nor forgetful.
See: AFP, Chilean
judge makes new attempt to lift Pinochet’s immunity
Reuters, Ex-Dictator
Pinochet May Face New Chile Trial
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Supreme Court Disappearance Case and Appeals Court Pinochet
Immunity Case
May 29, 2004
A Chilean court has stripped former dictator Augusto Pinochet of immunity from
prosecution. An appeal against the decision could still be launched at the
Supreme Court, which has consistently found that Pinochet is neither physically
nor mentally fit to stand trial. In a related case, a
See: The Guardian, Pinochet stripped of immunity
BBC, Pinochet's police chief jailed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pinochet Loses Immunity
August 28, 2004
Chile's Supreme Court has stripped former dictator Augusto Pinochet of immunity
from prosecution related to his role in Operation Condor, opening the way for a
case against him for his role in a case of kidnapping, torture, and
disappearance of 19 political opponents. Additional decisions will have to be
made for the various other human rights cases that Pinochet has avoided because
of his immunity.
See: AP, Chile
Court Strips Pinochet of Immunity
Washington Post, Pinochet
Loses Immunity in Chile
BBC, Doubts remain
over Pinochet's fate
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Judge Blocked From Questioning Pinochet
A court has blocked Santiago Court of Appeals Judge Juan Guzman from
questioning General Pinochet about disappearances during his 17-year rule.
Pinochet's lawyers filed a request for Judge Guzman's removal from the case for
allegedly showing animosity toward the former dictator. The court has assigned
the case to another judge while it considers the request. In related news, an
annual march marking the 1973 military coup and commemorating the victims of
the Pinochet dictatorship was cut short because of violent clashes. Organizers
blamed the violence on thugs who threw Molotov cocktails, to which police
responded with tear gas and water cannons.
See: ABC, Pinochet Avoids
Comment on Disappearances
BBC, Clashes as
Chile marks 1973 coup
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Judge Questions Pinochet
After the Santiago Court of Appeals reinstated Judge Juan Gúzman Tapia to handle the case against former dictator Augusto Pinochet, the judge questioned Pinochet about his involvement in "Operation Condor," the plan by South American military dictatorships to cooperate on killing dissidents. The former dictator denied involvement in Operation Condor, stating that mid-ranking officers handled it. Pinochet, who was recently stripped of immunity from prosecution, has also undergone medical tests to determine if he is fit to face trial. The medical reports are due October 8.
See: The Australian, Court reinstates Pinochet judge
BBC, Pinochet denies links to killings
Reuters, Court doctors examine Pinochet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Doctors Split on Pinochet Diagnosis
Three court-appointed doctors have disagreed on an evaluation of former dictator Augusto Pinochet's mental fitness. One doctor, chosen by Judge Juan Guzman, diagnosed Pinochet with moderate dementia. The doctor chosen by attorneys for the relatives of victims said he was fit to stand trial, while the doctor chosen by Pinochet's defense disagreed. Judge Guzman will now decide whether to move forward with the case against the former military ruler on charges of kidnapping and killing related to the counterinsurgency campaign codenamed Operation Condor.
See: BBC, Dementia diagnosis for Pinochet
Boston Globe, Doctors split on Pinochet's mental state
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Report Issued on Pinochet-Era Abuses
An official report has been issued by a commission
headed by
See: AP, Chile Issues Report on Pinochet Torture
AP, Chilean Army Admits Pinochet-Era Abuses
BBC, Chile army admits rights abuses
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A number of recent developments in
See: AFP, Landmark Chile court ruling denies Pinochet amnesty for dictatorship crimes
BBC, Pinochet spy chief denied amnesty
BBC, Chile plans jail for Pinochet men
AP, Report: Pinochet’s Assets Frozen
Reuters, Chile’s Lagos proposes reparation for torture victims
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pinochet Faces Homicide and Kidnapping Charges
A Chilean judge has charged former dictator Augusto Pinochet
with homicide and kidnapping related to Operation Condor, a right-wing
counterinsurgency campaign conducted in the 1970s by the security services of
six South American countries. Pinochet has escaped two previous attempts in
See: BBC, Chilean judge charges Pinochet
AP, Pinochet Indicted on Human Rights Charges
Reuters, Chilean Judge Charges Pinochet in Rights Case
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Supreme Court Upholds Indictment Against Pinochet
The Chilean Supreme Court has upheld an indictment against
former dictator Augusto Pinochet, who stands accused of murder and kidnapping
related to the 1970s coordinated counterinsurgency program dubbed Operation
Condor. The Santiago Appeals Court later granted bail, set at $3,500. Pinochet
was then released from house arrest after lawyers raised money from the former
dictator’s friends. Pinochet’s own assets have been frozen in connection with a
fraud investigation. In related news,
See: AFP, Chilean Supreme Court upholds Pinochet indictment
Reuters, Chile’s Pinochet Granted Bail in Rights Case
BBC, Pinochet to be release on bail
BBC, Chile Congress passes torture law
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Former Secret Police Officials Jailed
Courts in
See: Reuters, Pinochet Aide Jailed for Opponent’s “Disappearance”
AFP, Pinochet-era secret police chiefs imprisoned in Chile
Supreme Court Sets Deadline for Human Rights Investigations
See: Reuters, Chile High Court Speeds Up Pinochet Rights Trials
Reuters, Limits on Abuse Probes Close Door on Justice
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pinochet Victims to be Paid Millions by Riggs Bank
Riggs bank has agreed to pay eight million dollars to a fund set up to assist people who suffered human rights violations under former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. The payment comes as part of a settlement in a Spanish court case. The bank reached the settlement after being accused of helping foreign officials, including Pinochet, launder money.
See: Reuters, Riggs Bank to Pay $8 Million to Pinochet Victims
AP, Riggs to Pay $9M to Pinochet Victims
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pinochet Retains Immunity in Supreme Court Ruling
See: AFP, Chile keeps Pinochet immune from Prats trial
Reuters, Chile’s Pinochet Retains Immunity in Prats Case
Washington Post, Chile’s Pinochet Retains Immunity in Prats Case
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Riggs Bank to Pay $16 Million
Riggs Bank has agreed to pay a $16 million fine for helping
former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet and leaders of
See: Bloomberg, Riggs Bank Fined $16 Mln for Helping Chile's Pinochet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Human Rights Investigations Deadline Suspended
See: BBC, Chile rights deadline suspended
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Former Secret Police Chief Reveals Details on Fate of Disappeared
The former chief of
See: BBC, Chile ex-spy chief reveals abuses
AFP, Pinochet suffers suspected stroke
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Court Ends Operation Condor Case, Lifts Immunity on Fraud Case
A Chilean appeals court has vacated human rights charges
brought against former dictator Augusto Pinochet in connection with his role in
Operation Condor, a brutal 1970s campaign waged by dictators in several South
American countries against political opponents. The court has also lifted
Pinochet's immunity from prosecution for fraud.
See: AFP, Chile court ends Condor case against Pinochet
BBC, Mixed day in court for Pinochet
AP, Chile Court Strips Pinochet of Immunity
AFP, Chile court allows Pinochet trial on fraud charge
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pinochet Suffers Stroke
Former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet has been released from the hospital after suffering a mild stroke. His deteriorating health situation has twice prompted a court to block trials in which he would stand accused of human rights violations. A court hearing on whether he would be stripped of some of the immunity from prosecution he enjoys as former president was postponed due to his hospitalization. His opponents claim he has exaggerated his health problems to avoid such court hearings and trials.
See: ABC, Chile's Pinochet released from hospital
Reuters, Chile's Pinochet released from hospital
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pinochet Stripped of Immunity in "Operation
The Chilean Court of Appeals has stripped former dictator Augusto Pinochet of immunity for his role in the 1975 killing of 119 dissidents in a campaign named "Operation Colombo." Pinochet is facing court battles in several other human rights lawsuits. He has been stripped of his immunity four times, but courts have twice blocked his trial on health grounds.
See: AP, Chilean Court Strips Pinochet of Immunity
BBC, Court strips Pinochet of immunity
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
New Charges Against Contreras for 1974 Disappearances
Chilean judge Alejandro Solis has charged
See: BBC, New disappeared charges in Chile
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Institutional Reform Combats Pinochet Legacy
See: CNN, Chile
reforms Pinochet-era system
BBC, Chile scraps
Pinochet-era system
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Supreme Court Strips Pinochet Immunity
See: BBC, Court strips Pinochet of immunity
Reuters, Chile's Pinochet loses immunity in rights case
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~