The Chilean Catholic Church is urging the Chilean government to grant a broad humanitarian pardon for all prisoners who are either 70 years of age or older, suffering from a terminal illness or behind bars for misdemeanor.The proposal could include officials from the Pinochet dictatorship. Human rights activists and politicians across the political spectrum in Chile are voicing strong dissent.
[Lorena Pizarro, President, “Chilean Disappeared Family Members”]:"The President (Michelle Bachelet) knows that these crimes, among others, can't be pardoned. The president herself was involved in this very fight and it is this government who is demanding a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council, and let it be said that they are devoting a lot of energy to the cause. And for something like this? To pardon human rights violators?"
Bachelet herself was arrested and tortured at Chile's infamous Villa Grimaldi — a detention center where thousands of people were tortured.
Bachelet addressed the tension-building proposal last Friday (July 17) on national television.
[Michelle Bachelet, Chilean President]:"I am willing to look at this with an open mind. But let's also take a look at any initiative, at the entire package of proposals. Let's first look at how things should be, how things ought to be. What are the cases, which, should in no way be pardoned?"
About 700 officials from the Pinochet era are currently behind bars.
Pinochet lead a 1973 coup to halt the creeping socialization of Chile’s economy that was central to the agenda of Allende's administration.
Pinochet’s 17-year dictatorship against suspected leftists left some 3,000 Chileans dead and 1,000 still unaccounted for.
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Source (NTDT)
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