Judge Says Pinochet Will Not Be Tried

Moderators: Elvis, DrVolin, Jeff

Judge Says Pinochet Will Not Be Tried

Postby israelirealities » Tue Oct 25, 2005 12:46 pm

<!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051025/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/pinochet_judge">news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051...chet_judge</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br><br>By BRADLEY BROOKS, Associated Press Writer <br>Tue Oct 25, 6:22 AM ET<br> <br><br><br>NEW YORK - The man most responsible for trying to bring former Chilean dictator Gen. Augusto Pinochet to trial said he now thinks the one-time strongman will never pay for his alleged crimes. <br><br>ADVERTISEMENT<br> <br> <br> <br> <br>"If he's been declared incompetent by justices in human rights trials, I don't see how these same courts will declare him competent for economic trials," Juan Guzman, a Chilean judge appointed to take charge of the investigation, told The Associated Press on Monday.<br><br>Guzman's comments reflect a lingering pessimism in Chile that the former dictator will be held to account for alleged crimes committed under his 1973-90 regime, during which more than 3,100 people were killed or "disappeared."<br><br>Guzman has twice indicted Pinochet on human rights abuse charges and twice placed him under house arrest.<br><br>But the former military strongman has so far avoided court proceedings beyond those that stripped him of his immunity. He has repeatedly been declared incompetent to stand trial after having been diagnosed with mild dementia.<br><br>Guzman — who retired earlier this year and last week received a human rights award in Washington — said Pinochet's strategy at avoiding trial is odd for a man who has repeatedly proclaimed his innocence in any of the massive human rights abuses that occurred during his regime.<br><br>"A person who wants to prove to the world that he is innocent should go through a fair trial. Pinochet doesn't have the courage to do that," he said.<br><br>Guzman — an initial supporter of the coup that brought Pinochet to power, and who was appointed to the Santiago court of appeals by Pinochet himself — has in the past suggested that some sort of secret agreement exists between the government and the ousted dictator so that he never face trial.<br><br>"We in Chile are convinced there was this agreement, though I don't have knowledge that it existed," Guzman told the AP before speaking at the International Center for Transitional Justice.<br><br>Pinochet critics have leveled similar allegations in the past, arguing that the former military strongman has avoided trial largely because many of the judges serving on the bench were appointed by him.<br><br>Pinochet, who has been stripped of his immunity at least four times, is now facing two potential trials. A corruption case involves some $28 million he allegedly kept in U.S. bank accounts during his regime.<br><br>The other case Pinochet is facing — and what could be the last chance to try him for human rights violations — revolves around a case known as "Operation Condor," in which he is charged in the killing of 15 dissidents in the early years of the dictatorship.<br><br>"Most of the people that defend Pinochet are absolutely convinced that it was they or the enemies that had to be killed, and it was better to have the enemies tortured or imprisoned," Guzman said.<br><br> <p></p><i></i>
israelirealities
 
Posts: 385
Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2005 8:47 am
Blog: View Blog (0)

Return to Latin America

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests