Santiago, Chile
A Chilean judge indicted retired general Augusto Pinochet, 89, for the murder of a dissident and for nine counts of kidnapping during his 17-year dictatorship. Human rights groups say Pinochet’s regime killed thousands of opponents in the 1970s and ’80s, but Chile’s Supreme Court ruled in 2001 that he suffered from dementia and was unfit to stand trial. Judge Juan Guzman questioned Pinochet three months ago, after Pinochet gave a lucid TV interview, and decided he was mentally competent. Viviana Diaz, a human rights activist, called the ruling “a historic decision that must be celebrated by all democrats.” But Pinochet’s defense lawyer said it was a “tremendous abuse” of Pinochet’s “human rights” and mounted an appeal.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
5 explosively funny cartoons about the 4th of JulyCartoons Artists take on liberty and justice for all, a terrifying firework, and more
-
Jeff in Venice: a "triumph of tackiness"?In the Spotlight Locals protest as Bezos uses the city as a 'private amusement park' for his wedding celebrations
-
Crossword: July 5, 2025The Week's daily crossword puzzle
