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Judges of Santiago's Appeals Court voted Tuesday
whether to strip the former army commander of the immunity he enjoys as
a senator-for-life, but are keeping that decision secret until all 22
judges sign a written version of the verdict. Court officials say that
could take up to two weeks.
Reports that the judges moved to strip Pinochet of his immunity were
widespread in Chilean media. An unconfirmed report Wednesday in the
Chilean newspaper El Mercurio said the vote to remove Pinochet's
immunity was 13 judges to nine.
If Pinochet's immunity is revoked, the former military dictator could
be put on trial for alleged human rights abuses, including the murder,
kidnapping and torture of thousands of Chileans. If his immunity remains
intact, human rights lawyers say there would be little chance Pinochet
would end up in court. More than 100 civil suits have been filed against
the former dictator.
Pinochet rose to power in Chile after a military coup in 1973 and ruled
until he was voted out of office in 1990. He was arrested in London
in 1998 on a Spanish warrant, but was released in 1999 on grounds of
ill health before Spanish authorities could extradite him to stand trial.
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May
25, 2000, 3:50pm EDT 
