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Chile protests: UN accuses security forces of human rights abuses | |
(32 minutes later) | |
The UN has accused the Chilean police and armed forces of committing serious human rights violations in their response to recent mass demonstrations. | The UN has accused the Chilean police and armed forces of committing serious human rights violations in their response to recent mass demonstrations. |
UN investigators say they have verified four cases of unlawful deaths involving state agents. | UN investigators say they have verified four cases of unlawful deaths involving state agents. |
It notes 345 people have suffered eye trauma from pellets, with torture and sexual violence also highlighted. | |
Some 1,600 people remain in pre-trial detention out of 28,000 detained since mid-October. | Some 1,600 people remain in pre-trial detention out of 28,000 detained since mid-October. |
Protesters are demanding social reforms and changes to a constitution that dates back to the pre-democracy era of the late military leader, Augusto Pinochet. | |
At least 26 people have been killed and hundreds injured in the unrest. | |
What did the UN say? | What did the UN say? |
The report by the UN human rights office said official Chilean figures of more than 4,900 people injured in the demonstrations were disputed and other sources had far higher estimates. | The report by the UN human rights office said official Chilean figures of more than 4,900 people injured in the demonstrations were disputed and other sources had far higher estimates. |
The UN documented 113 specific cases of torture and ill-treatment and 24 cases of sexual violence against women, men and adolescents by members of the police and army. | |
The UN team noted the "unnecessary and disproportionate use of less-lethal weapons" such as anti-riot shotguns and tear gas. | |
"We have found that the overall management of assemblies by police was carried out in a fundamentally repressive manner," Imma Guerras-Delgado, UN mission team leader, told a Geneva news briefing. | "We have found that the overall management of assemblies by police was carried out in a fundamentally repressive manner," Imma Guerras-Delgado, UN mission team leader, told a Geneva news briefing. |
What are the protests about? | What are the protests about? |
The protests were triggered by an announcement that public transport fares would rise in the capital, Santiago. | The protests were triggered by an announcement that public transport fares would rise in the capital, Santiago. |
Demonstrations quickly spread across the country and grew into a general revolt against inequality, the high price of healthcare and poor funding for education. | Demonstrations quickly spread across the country and grew into a general revolt against inequality, the high price of healthcare and poor funding for education. |
Harsh repression by the security forces further stoked the anger of those protesting as did the response by President Sebastián Piñera, who declared a state of emergency and said the country was "at war". | Harsh repression by the security forces further stoked the anger of those protesting as did the response by President Sebastián Piñera, who declared a state of emergency and said the country was "at war". |
The current constitution came into force in 1980 when the country was still under military rule. | The current constitution came into force in 1980 when the country was still under military rule. |
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