Online Special Extended Interview: Human Rights Lawyer Jose Zalaquett on the Pinochet case. Extended Interview: A discussion with Chilean General Guillermo Garin. Online Forum: Should Britain have released Pinochet? March 13, 2000: A look at the state of human rights in Chile. March 2, 2000: An interview with President-elect Ricardo Lagos.	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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