Attacks on Justice 2002: Chile

Latin America
Issue: Independence of Judges and Lawyers
Document Type: Publication
Date: 2002

The former military ruler, General Pinochet, returned to Chile and faced proceedings before the judiciary, which took significant steps to advance his trial. However, in July 2001, the Santiago Appeals Court suspended proceedings against the former dictator on health grounds.

Politicians opposed to Pinochet’s prosecution and the Armed Forces exerted considerable pressure on both the executive and the judiciary. Judges appeared to be willing to open trials for past human rights violations.

However, the 1978 amnesty law continued to be a major obstacle to such prosecutions.

The criminal law system reform process, which attempts to incorporate aspects of the adversarial model, progressed substantially in several areas.

Chile-Attacks on Justice 2002-publication-2002 (full text, PDF)

 

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