Chilean President Sebastian Pinera on Sunday denied a pardon to people jailed for dictatorship-era crimes, a move likely to ease tensions with the opposition and rights groups over a controversial call for clemency.
Chile's Catholic Church had asked Pinera to free or lower jail sentences of military officers convicted for human rights violations as well as other criminals in a call for clemency to mark the country's upcoming bicentennial celebrations.
The pardon request infuriated human right groups and the center-left opposition, rekindling memories of General Augusto Pinochet's 1973-1990 rule that still divides many Chileans.
"Excluded from these (pardon) benefits are those convicted for serious crimes like crimes against humanity," Pinera told reporters. "We need to promote a culture of unrestricted respect to human rights."
Pinera, whose brother was a government minister under Pinochet, said he will still offer pardons to some convicted criminals who are old or sick "as long as these benefits don't hurt the soul of our country."
More...
After hours spent carefully preparing her cakes, Abrar Abdu stood stunned in silence before her oven. In...
Tamir Pardo, the former chief of Israel’s powerful Mossad intelligence agency, drew international attention on Monday...
Israeli authorities are using access to water as a weapon against Palestinians, including by systematically depriving...
An Israeli human rights group is demanding the release of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, director of...
