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IMPUNITY AND JUSTICE
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This page on impunity and justice begins with the historical events now taking place in England and Spain regarding the detention in London on Friday, October 16, 1998 of Augusto Pinochet, former commander-in-chief of the Chilean Army and head of the 1973 - 1990 military regime and current lifetime senator in the national Congress.
This page contains press releases by human rights organizations, judicial texts issued by the Spanish judges investigating charges of genocide, torture and terrorism against Pinochet since mid-1996, related articles from the international media and links to other sites of interest.
By way of introduction to the topic, we suggest you begin by reading translated extracts from the book "Tarda pero llega. Pinochet ante la justicia española" (Better Late Than Never. Pinochet and the Spanish Justice System), published by LOM Ediciones and CODEPU in September 1998, written by Paz Rojas, Victor Espinoza, Julia Urquieta and Hernan Soto.
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Reactions in Chile to the House of Lords' Verdict Against Pinochet
Press Releases of Human Rights Organizations on Pinochet's Arrest
Judicial Texts
"Tarda pero llega: Pinochet Ante la justicia española"
Artículos Relacionados
Sitios que contienen textos y artículos relacionados con la detención de Augusto Pinochet
Diarios, revistas, periódicos
Reactions in Chile to the House of Lords' Verdict Against Pinochet.
Commentary from representatives of the Relatives of the Disappeared, Amnesty International, the Socialist Party, the legal expert Hernan Montealegre and members of the Pinochet Foundation. (November 25, 1998)
Press Releases of Human Rights Organizations on Pinochet's Arrest
La siguiente es una lista de declaraciones de ONGs en relación a la detención de Pinochet en Inglaterra.
Open Letter to the President of Chile. (Dec. 1, 1998) The Association of Relatives of the Disappeared, Belgium, strongly criticizes the Chilean government's efforts to obtain the release of Augusto Pinochet, currently detained in London. (Spanish version only)
Amnesty International. Briefing document produced for MPs and the media in Britain concerning the Pinochet affair. Contains a brief summary of human rights violations in Chile following the 1973 military coup, an outline of international law regarding crimes against humanity and key points regarding the responsibility of the state in this case.
Letter to President Bill Clinton (Oct. 21, 1998) Members of the U.S. Congress call on Clinton to release documents related to Pinochet's role in international terrorism, documents it has withheld until now, to Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzon.
Corporation For The Defense And Promotion Of The Rights Of The People (CODEPU). CODEPU emphasizes the supremacy of international treaties, signed by Chile, over internal legislation and argues that no country can take refuge in its own laws to protect crimes condemned by the international community. It criticizes the government for backing Pinochet, failing in its duty to seek justice and implores it to not intercede in his favor and to respect the British and Spanish judiciaries' actions. (full Spanish text in Spanish version of site)
Association of Relatives of the Disappeared (AFDD). The AFDD says they have been trying to get the Chilean judiciary to arrest and interrogate Pinochet for the past 25 years and is pleased that other countries are finally able to fulfill this objective. They refer to the government's argument that Pinochet was on a special mission as an "official lie." (full Spanish text in Spanish version of site - "Impunidad y Justicia" page of "Derechos Humanos Hoy")
Committee 119. This committee, which takes its name from the case of 119 disappeared Chileans who were victims of the military regime's "Operation Condor," argue that Pinochet's arrest and possible trial abroad does not put an end to impunity nor does it advance democracy in Chile. It speculates on the negative consequences these "purely symbolic" developments could have in the future and harshly criticizes the behavior of all government politicians throughout this crisis. (full Spanish text in Spanish version of site - "Impunidad y Justicia" page of "Derechos Humanos Hoy")
Vamos a la Peña del Bronx (US-based NGO). This organization, comprised of Chileans living in New York, demands that Pinochet be extradited to the U.S., interrogated and tried for his participation in the 1976 assassination of Chilean Orlando Letelier and US citizen Ronnie Moffit in Washington, D.C. It invites all victims of the military regime to present their testimonies, denunciations and letters to human rights organizations in different countries. (full Spanish text in Spanish version of site - "Impunidad y Justicia" page of "Derechos Humanos Hoy")
Judicial Texts
Fallo de la Cámara de los Lores (25/11/98). Un resumen en español de los fundamentos jurídicos de los cinco Lores que resolvieron, en un voto de 3 contra 2, que Augusto Pinochet no goza de inmunidad como ex jefe de Estado en relación a los crímenes de lesa humanidad que le imputa el juez español Baltasar Garzón. (El texto completo en inglés esta disponible en la versión inglés de esta misma página - House of Lords Verdict)
13th October, 1998: Spanish petition for interrogation of Augusto Pinochet in Britain. Includes the Chilean Supreme Court testimony by former DINA secret police chief MANUEL CONTRERAS SEPULVEDA, (13 Feb, 1998) in which he affirms Pinchet's responsibility for DINA repression.
The Federation of Associations of Defense and Promotion of Human Rights (Spain). Written statement submitted to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in its 54th. session on the cases being investigated by the National Spanish Audience about disappeared Spanish citizens during the military dictatorships in Argentina and Chile. 1998.
"Tarda pero llega: Pinochet Ante la justicia española",
(Better Late Than Never. Pinochet and the Spanish Justice System), LOM Ediciones, September 1998, Paz Rojas B., Victor Espinoza C., Julia Urquieta O., Hernan Soto.
The following excerpts and translation of "Tarda pero llega:Pinochet ante la Justicia Española" are presented here with authorization of LOM Ediciones and the Corporacion de Promocion y Defensa de los Derechos del Pueblo (CODEPU).
For information about acquiring a copy of the book from Europe, please contact JREVECO@aol.com and in Chile contact lom@cmet.net. A fuller version of the text in Spanish can be accessed on the Spanish version of this same site.
Related Articles
Jack Straw's Decision Three articles analyzing the various options faced by the British Home Secretary, Jack Straw, in his decision whether to authorize extradition proceedings against former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. Taken from The Guardian /The Observer: "Straw's Search for Peace In His Time," by Jamie Wilson, Clare Dyer and Ewen Macaskill, Nov. 26, 1998; "Straw's hands are tied. Pinochet must be treated like any terrorist suspect," by Geoffrey Robertson, Nov. 27, 1998; "The law lords leave one man with no place to hide. Who? Jack Straw." by Hugo Young, Nov. 26, 1998.
The Ceasefire Has Ended. In this article, published by El País, Chilean journalist Patricia Politzer explains how the arrest of Pinochet and the Lords' verdict against his immunity "opens important expectation for Chile, a country accustomed to masking the truth and in which presidents Aylwin and Frei have had little room to maneuver and steer towards full democracy. Because in Chile there has not been a Spanish-style translation but rather a ceasefire, and the general's arrest could put a definitive end to it..." (Spanish version only)
The World Does Not Forget Editorial, Punto Final: Chile October 23, 1998 Brief political analysis of the consequences of Pinochet's arrest in London. Includes the question "Who set the trap for Pinochet?" suggesting a plot by the far-right.
Pinochet Must Pay For His Crimes. It's A Personal Thing Tito Tricot: Santiago:Chile October 27, 1998 A survivor of torture asks why those who today speak of human rights with regards to Pinochet did nothing to help the victims of military repression.
Haunted By Painful Memories Of Pinochet Marcus Gee, The Globe and Mail: Canada October 23, 1998 How could the arrest of an ailing old man cause such an uproar?
Punishing Pinochet : Who should decide? Leader: The Guardian, London Tuesday October 20, 1998 Analysis of the role played by the three countries involved in the Pinochet arrest case: Britain, Spain and Chile.
Spain's scourge of rights abuse John Hooper, The Guardian, London Sunday October 18, 1998 Brief biography of Baltazar Garzon, the judge who issued the warrant for General Augusto Pinochet's.
Pinochet Biography The Guardian Tuesday October 20, 1998 Biography of Augusto Pinochet, Chile's ex dictator, arrested in London. England.
Britons Were Victims Of The Chilean Secret Police Nick Hopkins and Geoffrey Gibbs, The Guardian, London Tuesday October 20, 1998 Although most of Augusto Pinochet's victims were Chilean, several Britons were tortured by his secret police.
Human Rights Watch Hails Pinochet Detention as "Victory for the Rule of Law" Jose Miguel Vivanco Executive Director of the Americas Division at Human Rights Watch, New York October 19, 1998 "The perpetrator of crimes against humanity is like the pirate of the old days: he can be tried wherever he is found. Spain and the United Kingdom have now put that longstanding principle into practice."
Spain Pursues Pinochet on Soria Killing John Kavanagh, The Irish Times, Dublin October 19, 1998 The Spanish government seeks justice for the alleged torture and murder of a UN diplomat, Mr Carmelo Soria, by Pinochet secret police.
Autumn Of The Autocrat Saul Landau and Sarah Anderson Covert Action Quarterly, Spring, 1998 Edited by Equipo Nizkor, Madrid, Spain, August 8, 1998. Chilean General Augusto Pinochet Ugarte went to great lengths to ensure a comfortable retirement after his 17 year rule as president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Before agreeing to democratic elections in 1990, he granted himself a list of perks...
Pinochet: Is a Terrorist Hiding in Chile's Senate? Scott Armstrong and Saul Landau The Los Angeles Times, May 17, 1998 When Bill Clinton addressed the Chilean legislature last month, he did not see the face of Augusto Pinochet. Nor did he mention the name of the recently retired army commander and former president-dictator of Chile. But the unresolved issue of Pinochet's involvement in the worst act of international terrorism in Washington in the past 50 years still hangs over U.S.-Chilean relations.
Punishing Pinochet Peter Weiss Published by CAQ, number 64, Spring 1998. The two judicial proceedings currently pending in the Spanish courts- one against Augusto Pinochet and some of his fellow butchers, the other against Leopoldo Galtieri and other members of the equally brutal Argentine junta -would have gladdened the heart of Raphael Lemkin, the father of the Genocide Convention.
Move To Question Pinochet In UK John Hooper, The Guardian: London October 14, 1998 The former Chilean dictator, General Augusto Pinochet, who is recovering in an unidentified London hospital after surgery for a herniated disc, could be questioned while he is in Britain about his role in atrocities and acts of genocide.
Sites containing documents and articles on Augusto Pinochet's arrest:
Human Rights Watch Press releases and commentary on the Pinochet arrest from October 1998 to the present. English http://www.hrw.org/hrw/press98/dec/pin1217.htm
The Guardian - Special Report on the Pinochet Arrest News, commentary and letters to the editor. http://reports.guardian.co.uk/sp_reports/pinochet
Trial of Spaniards Disappeared in Chile Human Rights Secretariate - Spain. Contains documents related to the Spanish trial. In English and Spanish. http://www.izquierda-unida.es/Derechos/chile.htm
Derechos Human Rights Information on human rights throughout the world. Linked to Nizkor. In English and Spanish. http://www.derechos.org/
Human Rights Watch News about Chile In English http://www.hrw.org/
Conflictnet Includes a campaign supporting the arrest of Pinochet, news In English http://www.igc.org/igc/conflictnet/
Amnesty International Go straight to News section In English (Chilean page under construction) http://www.amnesty.org/
Chile: Images of Dictatorship Photographic images of the dictatorship led by Augusto Pinochet in Chile. These photographs also form part of the book "Chile from Within," edited by Susan Meiselas in 1990, which includes images taken between 1973 and 1988 by 16 photographers in Chile. In English and Spanish. http://www.internet.com.mx/fotoperiodismo/PINOCHETEXT1.htm
Lawyers Committee Urges U.S. To Investigate Pinochet The Lawyers Committee for Human Rights commends the Spanish courts for its investigation of Pinochet and urges the U.S. Justice Department to follow its lead and announce its commitment to investigate whenever a known human rights violator arrives on American soil. http://www.lchr.org/media/pinochet.htm
Newspapers
El País Principal Spanish newspaper In Spanish http://www.elpais.es/
Punto Final Bi-weekly review of political affairs. New folder with articles related to Pinochet's arrest. In Spanish http://puntofinal.cl/
The Guardian Principal British newspaper In English http://www.guardian.co.uk/
Rebelión - Información Alternativa Go straight to Human Rights section In Spanish http://www.guardian.co.uk/
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