Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said issuing a broad pardon of prison inmates based on a proposal from Chilean Catholic bishops would be "neither prudent nor appropriate," but he agreed to consider humanitarian cases individually. In a letter delivered to Pinera July 21, the country's bishops called for better prison conditions and urged pardons for inmates who were elderly or ill or had minor children. Critics said the proposal would lead to the release of many former military officers convicted of human rights abuses under the 1973-1990 dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet. On July 25, Pinera said he valued debate, but "proposals continue to create tensions and divisions between Chileans and have often reopened old wounds and past resentments." The president said he would consider pardons on humanitarian grounds, as long as they did not "harm the soul of our country or pose a danger to society," but would not include inmates convicted of crimes against humanity, homicide or other violent crimes, rape, crimes against children, drug trafficking or terrorism. Pinera ordered Justice Minister Felipe Bulnes to review the state of the country's prisons to improve living conditions for inmates and working conditions for prison guards. Bishop Alejandro Goic Karmelic of Rancagua, president of the Chilean bishops' conference, told reporters the bishops had not requested a blanket pardon and that he was happy that the president had ordered a review of prison conditions.
Chilean President Rejects Pardon, Orders Prison Review
Show Comments (
)
Comments are automatically closed two weeks after an article's initial publication. See our comments policy for more.
The latest from america
Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman,” which turns 75 this year, was a huge hit by any commercial or critical standard. In 1949, it pulled off an unprecedented trifecta, winning the New York Drama Circle Critics’ Award, the Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. So attention must be paid!
In Part II of his exclusive interview with Gerard O’Connell, the rector of the soon-to-be integrated Gregorian University describes his mission to educate seminarians who are ‘open to growth.’
My recent visit to the Holy Land revealed fear and depression but also the grit and resilience of a people to whom the prophets preached and for whom Jesus wept.
The Gregorian’s American-born rector, Mark Lewis, S.J., describes how three Jesuit academic institutes in Rome will be integrated to better serve a changing church.