French FM: Pinochet could be convicted in absentia

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, February 03, 2004

French FM: Pinochet could be convicted in absentia

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

Visiting French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said former Chilean coup leader Augusto Pinochet might have to face a trial in absentia in France for violating the human rights of French citizens, Chilean daily El Mercurio reported on Feb. 2.

De Villepin did not rule out the possibility that one of the trials that are currently going on in France for these crimes might end up with a conviction in absentia against Pinochet.

"Several procedures in France are opened for human rights violations in Chile against French citizens. One of them could lead to a conviction in absentia of General Pinochet," said the French official.

Official records show about 3,000 people died in the violence resulting from the 1973 coup that launched Pinochet to power. But due to his poor heath and delaying tactics, no one expects him to ever appear in court.

Pinochet did once lose the immunity he had as a former president when Chile's highest court ordered him to stand trial in2000 for a different human rights case. The trial started but wascut short in 2001 when he was diagnosed as mentally incompetent.

The French foreign minister, who began an official visit to Chile on Monday, denied that his country supported "the policy of repression" of some Latin American countries during the 1970s and the 1980s, as it was affirmed in the documentary "Death squadron: the French school," released some months ago in France.

"France never participated in the policy of repression set up by the military dictatorships in Latin America," said the minister.

During his visit to Chile, de Villepin is scheduled to meet President Ricardo Lagos and the Foreign Minister Soledad Alvear.

The visit is part of a regional tour that also includes Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, where current issues and bilateral relations will be discussed.

Source: Xinhua

Questions?Comments? Click here

Chilean Court Rules out Stripping Pinochet of Immunity

Pinochet Presents Resignation as Chile's Life-Senator

Pinochet to Quit as Lifetime Senator to Retain Head of State Status

Chirac warns Taiwan of referendum ( 13 Messages)

Japanese top official maintains Iraq has WMD ( 3 Messages)

Bush sets re-election tone in State of Union address ( 9 Messages)

France Turns Eiffel Tower Red Before Hu Visit ( 24 Messages)

Security Council members hail Annan's decision to send team to Iraq ( 2 Messages)