SANTIAGO, Nov 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Chile’s President Sebastian Pinera promised to ensure police and soldiers found guilty of rights violations were prosecuted with the same force as rioters and looters during nearly three weeks of violent protests.
Prosecutors are investigating more than 800 allegations of abuses including torture, rape and beatings by security forces during demonstrations over inequality and cost of living that have often degenerated into riots.
A team sent by Michelle Bachelet, the U.N. human rights chief and former Chilean president, and another from Amnesty International, are also in Chile interviewing alleged victims.
“This president is committed to total respect for human rights at all times and in all circumstances,” Pinera said from La Moneda presidential palace in Santiago.
“With the same force that we are going to investigate, prosecute and sanction those criminal groups who have destroyed property, we will investigate any excess, failure of protocol in the use of force or excessive use of force.”
Chile’s worst unrest since the end of Augusto Pinochet’s 1973-1990 dictatorship has caused at least 23 deaths, more than 7,000 detentions, and injuries to 1,659 protesters and 800 police officers, according to authorities and rights groups. — NNN-AGENCIES
