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Breaking News from America's Progressive Community... Latest
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The press releases posted here have been provided to NewsCenter by the one of the many progressive organizations we have selected to participate. If you would like more information about this press release, you should contact the organization directly. |
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| DECEMBER
9, 1998 12:00 Noon FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Human Rights Watch In New York: Ken Roth 12122161201 In Paris: Reed Brody (cell phone) 33603269562 In Geneva: José Miguel Vivanco 41229598688, Room 724 In London: Urmi Shah 441717131995 |
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| British Decision on Pinochet Hailed | ||||
| LONDON
- December 9 - Human Rights Watch today hailed the decision by
the British Home Secretary to allow extradition of Chilean ex-dictator Augusto
Pinochet to go forward.
"This decision brings us one step closer to the day when Pinochet will have to answer for his terrible crimes," said Reed Brody, Advocacy Director for Human Rights Watch, an international monitoring organization based in New York. "The wall of his impunity is tumbling down." Brody applauded the British government's important step towards an "ethical foreign policy," which evidently gave weight to the arguments of Pinochet's victims against the claims of geopolitics and trade relations. Brody noted that Straw's decision could still be challenged by Pinochet's lawyers in court. But he expressed the hope that any judicial review of Straw's decision would, like the House of Lords panel last month, deny Pinochet immunity from extradition. "There's a growing international consensus, both legal and political, that those responsible for the worst atrocities must be punished," said Brody. "This is a tremendous birthday present to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights tomorrow." ### |
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