Word: pinochets
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...past month, the Chilean air force has had a plane waiting at a British airfield to take General Augusto Pinochet home; right now, the former dictator might as well unpack his bags. Britain's High Court Tuesday overruled Home Secretary Jack Straw's decision to keep Pinochet's medical records secret from countries seeking his extradition, compelling Britain to make them available - in confidence - to Spain, Belgium, Switzerland and France. The results of a series of medical tests ordered by the British government prompted Straw last month to announce he was "minded" to send Pinochet home on compassionate grounds rather...
...decision, since it is common for medical reports that are being used as grounds to dismiss a court case to be made available to both sides," says TIME London bureau chief Jef McAllister. "Straw had been accused of keeping the records out of the hands of those pushing for Pinochet's extradition to make it easier to get the general out of the country. Now his stay will be prolonged, reviving the government's greatest concern - that Pinochet dies in Britain." The medical records that prompted Straw to conclude that the general's physical and mental health won't stand...
...arresting the former dictator in October of 1998 while he was in London for back surgery. This sent a message to totalitarian rulers worldwide that they would be held accountable for their appalling actions. No longer could they hide behind titles or claim immunity as heads of state, as Pinochet attempted...
...Whether Pinochet stands trial will clearly impact the future actions of the global community. In their dealings with him, the British have shown some reluctance in dismissing Pinochet's claims of sovereign immunity. If he is to be released on medical grounds, it must be with absolute certainty of his inability to stand trial. It is therefore in the public interest to allow reexamination of Pinochet's medical condition by another party in light of the importance of this case...
...arrest of Pinochet has reminded the world that the atrocities of dictators are not confined to one nation, but are a worldwide threat to fundamental human rights. If attempts to re-examine Pinochet's medical condition fail, he may still face prosecution in Chile, but his conviction there would be unlikely. Although the wounds from Pinochet's regime will never completely heal, Isabel Allende and many other Chilean citizens would be able to rest a little easier knowing that justice is finally being served...