The Hindu : International : Pinochet indictment upheld

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 05, 2005

International

International

Pinochet indictment upheld

SANTIAGO: The Chilean Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the indictment and house arrest of Gen. Augusto Pinochet for nine kidnappings and one homicide during his dictatorship. The court's 3-2 vote cleared the way for Gen. Pinochet to be tried on the latest charges of human rights abuses during his 1973-90 regime. As the ruling was announced, Gen. Pinochet remained at his countryside residence west of Santiago, where he will have to serve house arrest during the trial. He has been there recovering from a stroke that forced his hospitalisation for five days in December. In the courtroom, relatives of the dictatorship's victims cheered and applauded the ruling. ``We are happy, the entire world is happy,'' said Lorena Pizarro, president of an association of relatives of dissidents who were killed. Pinochet cannot continue to live in impunity.'' A small group of his supporters shouted slogans and were removed from the court by guards. The ruling upheld the legality of the indictment and house arrest ordered Dec. 13 by Judge Juan Guzman, which had been questioned by Gen. Pinochet's defence lawyers, who claim he is unfit to stand trial because of his poor health. Defence lawyers now face a long battle to have the charges against Pinochet dropped. — AP

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