Criminal Procedures Against Pinochet in Spain 
Augusto Pinochet came to power in Chile in 1973, after deposing democratically-elected President Allende through a violent coup d'etat. It thus began a period of brutal repression at the hands of the armed and intelligence forces operating under the orders of Pinochet. Thousands of people were murdered or "disappeared", taken to concentration camps and brutally tortured; hundreds of thousands were arrested or had to seek exile abroad. Pinochet exported the repression to other countries through "Operation Condor" - a plan of mutual cooperation among intelligence agencies of different South American countries. Chilean exilees in Argentina, Paraguya and other countries were thus persecuted and killed by Chilean forces. While impunity (consagrated in the so-called "self-amnesty law" and the appointment of Pinochet as "senator-for-life") rules in Chile, the struggle for truth and justice continues. Given the practical impossibility of having Pinochet tried in Chile for the crimes against humanity he has committed, alternatives were sought in other countries. The Spanish courts were the first to accept their legal and moral obligations under international law and initiate investigations aobut the responsability of Pinochet and other Chilean and Argentinian military for crimes against humanity. It is a difficult road, and one full of political obstacles. We trust, however, that truth and justice will finally win the day. Equipo Nizkor, in collaboration with the Allende Foundation, United Left and Chilean, Spanish and
Argentinian human rights groups, has been key in the planning and carrying out of the procedures in Spain against
Pinochet. In these pages, we offer some of the legal information on the trial, as well as urgent actions and other
documents.
Much more information is available in the Spanish pages.
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Legal DocumentsEnglandOctober 8, 1999 April 15, 1999 March 24, 1999 Reasons. Jan. 15, 1999 Nov. 25, 1998 28 oct 1998 London, October 1998 SpainSummary of the Legal Procedures and Judicial Decisions Derechos HR - October 1998 20 Sept 1998 |
Maintained by Margarita Lacabe and Gregorio Dionis. |