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Pinochet Loses His Immunity
Gen. Augusto Pinochet will be tripped of his immunity from prosecution, leaving Chile's former dictator facing a long legal battle over the human-rights abuses committed under his rule, a court announced Monday.
Opponents of the former dictator cheered and wept for joy, while Pinochet's defense team said it would appeal the ruling.
The outlines of the ruling were leaked to the media two weeks ago.
The Santiago Court of Appeals voted 13-9 on May 23 to remove the congressional immunity Pinochet enjoys as a senator for life. He faces 110 lawsuits filed on behalf of those killed or missing during his 17-year rule.
In releasing the 55-page decision, court President Ruben Ballesteros said the 22 members of the court "resolved that there are grounds to begin a case" against Pinochet for the right-wing dictatorship that ended in 1990.
Pinochet's lawyers have said they will appeal to the Supreme Court within five days.
Pinochet's lawyer, Pablo Rodriguez, has said an appeal will be based on "Gen.Pinochet's total innocence."
The former dictator's defense also is expected to portray Pinochet, 84, as mentally unfit to understand and consult with his lawyers about the legal proceedings against him.
Should the Supreme Court rule against Pinochet, he would face prosecution for the disappearance of 19 victims of the so-called Caravan of Death, a military group that toured several cities soon after the coup, dragging prisoners from jail and executing them.
The 19 people have never been found and are among some 3,200 people who died or disappeared under Pinochet's military rule, according to an official report compiled by the civilian government that succeeded him.
Opponents of Pinochet celebrated in the streets, many hugging each other as the decision was released.
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