DATE=3/23/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-247041
TITLE=BRITAIN / PINOCHET RULING (L ONITER)
BYLINE=LAURIE KASSMAN
DATELINE=LONDON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: BRITAIN'S HOUSE OF LORDS' LAW PANEL WILL RULE WEDNESDAY
ON WHETHER FORMER CHILEAN LEADER AUGUSTO PINOCHET CAN BE
EXTRADITED TO SPAIN TO FACE CHARGES OF GENOCIDE. V-O-A
CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN REPORTS FROM LONDON.
TEXT: A GROUP OF CHILEAN EXILES SPENT TUESDAY MORNING PLANTING
HUNDREDS OF SMALL WHITE CROSSES IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS TO
HONOR THE VICTIMS OF MR. PINOCHET'S 17-YEAR RULE IN CHILE. THEY
ARE WAITING FOR THE SEVEN LAW LORDS TO DECIDE ONCE AGAIN IF
GENERAL PINOCHET CAN FACE EXTRADITION TO SPAIN.
LAST NOVEMBER, FIVE LAW LORDS RULED MR. PINOCHET WAS NOT IMMUNE
FROM PROSECUTION. BUT THE RULING WAS NULLIFIED AFTER ONE OF THE
JUDGES WAS FOUND TO HAVE LINKS WITH THE HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL.
A SPANISH PROSECUTOR HAS CHARGED MR. PINOCHET WITH THE MURDER,
TORTURE AND DISAPPEARANCE OF CHILEANS AND OTHER NATIONALS AFTER
HE SEIZED POWER IN A BLOODY COUP IN 1973.
THE JUDGMENT OF THE LAW LORDS COULD OPEN THE WAY FOR THE
EXTRADITION CASE TO PROCEED AGAINST THE FORMER GENERAL. THEN IT
WOULD BE UP TO THE JUSTICE MINISTER, JACK STRAW, TO DECIDE IF THE
CASE WARRANTS EXTRADITION TO SPAIN.
MR. PINOCHET'S LAWYERS COULD ARGUE THAT MR. STRAW ALSO HAS A
CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN THE CASE. HE TRAVELED TO CHILE 30 YEARS
AGO WHEN HE WAS A UNIVERSITY STUDENT TO HELP BUILD HOMES FOR THE
POOR.
CHILE'S FORMER RULER AUGUSTO PINOCHET WAS ARRESTED IN LONDON LAST
NOVEMBER WHILE RECOVERING FROM BACK SURGERY. HE HAS BEEN
CONFINED TO A LUXURY MANSION IN THE LONDON SUBURBS WHILE HE
AWAITS THE LAW LORDS' DECISION. A CHILEAN MILITARY PLANE IS
WAITING AT A NEARBY AIRPORT TO TAKE HIM HOME IF THE LAW LORDS
RULE THAT HE DOES ENJOY DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY AND CANNOT BE
PROSECUTED.
IRONICALLY, EVEN IF THE 83-YEAR-OLD FORMER GENERAL WERE TRIED AND
CONVICTED BY A SPANISH COURT, HE WOULD NOT GO TO PRISON. SPAIN
DOES NOT JAIL ANYONE OVER THE AGE OF 70. (SIGNED)
NEB/LMK/JWH
23-Mar-99 12:59 PM EST (1759 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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