Chile acknowledges thousands more Pinochet victims

Chile is reliving the horrors of the Pinochet era, with a new report exposing almost 10,000 new cases of human rights violations during the dictatorship.

Handed in to President Sebastian Pinera, the study raises the total number of those killed, detained or tortured for political reasons to more than 40,000.

With victims and their families entitled to compensation, Justice Minister Teodoro Ribera said a decree would be issued as soon as possible. “We hope that this report by the commission will also contribute to peace and reconciliation,” he said.

In power in Chile from 1973-1990, Augusto Pinochet died five years ago without ever being convicted on charges of human rights abuses. With hundreds of his military men still on trial, critics want tougher penalties for officers involved in toture and murders during military rule.

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