Chilean Judge Indicts Former Pinochet Officers for Mass Killings and Disappearances

A landmark indictment by Judge Alejandro Solis in Santiago, Chile, has been handed down against several former secret police officers, including the notorious Gen. Manuel Contreras, for their roles in the atrocities committed during the regime of Augusto Pinochet. The indictment involves eight kidnappings and six murders, including the case of Lumi Videla Moya, a 28-year-old opposition leader who was tortured to death in 1974. According to the prosecution, these crimes constitute "crimes against humanity," which cannot be subject to a statute of limitations or amnesty under the Geneva Convention.

Key Takeaways:

Judge Alejandro Solis indicted Gen. Manuel Contreras, the former head of DINA, for the murder of opposition activist Lumi Videla Moya, along with several other retired officers.
The crimes are described as "crimes against humanity," and the prosecution argues that they cannot be covered by a statute of limitations or an amnesty.
Lumi Videla Moya was tortured to death in November 1974 at a DINA detention center, and her body was dumped over the wall of the Italian Embassy.
Judge Solis also indicted Contreras, Ret. Gens. Miguel Krassnoff and Christophe Willike, Col. Marcelo Moren Brito, and non-commissioned officer Basclay Zapata for various crimes against humanity.
The indictment is part of a larger case involving five other murders and seven kidnappings, described as "disappearances" where people were kidnapped for political reasons and killed, but their bodies were disposed of to avoid discovery.
The indictment is a significant development in Chile's efforts to confront its troubled past and bring justice to the victims of Pinochet's regime.

Statistics:

8 kidnappings and 6 murders were involved in this case.
Lumi Videla Moya, a 28-year-old opposition leader, was tortured to death in 1974.
Judge Solis is overseeing a larger case involving 5 other murders and 7 kidnappings.
These crimes were committed by former members of DINA, the secret police service established by Pinochet.

Sources:

(EFE via COMTEX), February 27, 2006