Inter-American Court of Human Rights rules in favour of Chilean torture survivor

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights has found in favour of Leopoldo García Lucero, an ally of Salvador Allende who was subjected to enforced disappearance, detention, physical and psychological torture and other ill-treatment in Chile under the Pinochet regime. The court awarded Mr García Lucero £20,000 in compensation and ordered Chile to complete a criminal investigation into his case. Mr García Lucero, who now lives in the UK, was represented by SRT grantee Redress.

This is a landmark judgement as it is the first time the Inter-American Court of Human Rights has decided the case of a living survivor of human rights violations under General Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship.

Carla Ferstman, Director of REDRESS, said, “We welcome the judgment, as it recognises that torture survivors in exile today, like Mr García Lucero, still have the right to justice and reparation, despite being outside of the country and regardless of the passage of time. The judgment offers some hope to the many who may find themselves in the same situation. These are particularly vulnerable victims who have been denied justice for many years.”

Mr García Lucero said, “No amount of money will ever be able to compensate the suffering that my family and I have endured, but I am glad that the judgment recognises that Chile could have done more for victims like us. I also hope the judgment will help prevent similar events from happening in the future, and that Chile finds and punishes those responsible for my torture and exile before I die, so I can live to see justice done.”

Full story from REDRESS: http://www.redress.org/downloads/prlucerogarciajudgment041113english.pdf

Mr Garcia Lucero writes about his case for The Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/10/money-will-not-compensate-torture-chile-pinochet