A panel of UN human rights experts on Aug. 21 urged Chile to make sure that people who have been convicted of enforced disappearances [3] all serve their sentences [4]. The UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances [5] (WGEID) stated [6] that while Chile has made great strides since it transitioned to democracy, many challenges remain. While the WGEID praised Chile for combating human rights violations in recent years, it stated that Chile needs to do more to ensure that justice is served:
Very few of the convicted perpetrators are effectively serving a sentence, due to the low penalties imposed or other benefits granted. The Declaration on the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance requires that acts of enforced disappearances are sanctioned in accordance with the gravity of the crime.
The WGEID also called on Chile to speed up its judicial process and create a national plan to search for disappeared persons.
From Jurist [7], Aug. 23. Used with permission.
