HRW Urges Chile to Open Investigations and Respect Human Rights

Human Rights Watch urged Chile on Tuesday to respect human rights as the police repression of the anti-government protests have already left at least 15 people dead, according to figures from human rights organization within the country.

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HRW Americas director Jose Miguel Vivanco expressed concern in the name of the organization over the images and footages of police brutality coming from the Andean nation.

“President Piñera should make clear to Chilean security forces that they need to respect human rights and ensure that officers implicated in abuses are promptly and impartially investigated,” he added.

In regards to acts of vandalism, Vivanco added that Chilean prosecutors should “carry out prompt, thorough, and impartial investigations into serious crimes committed by demonstrators in recent days.”

Chilean President Sebastian Piñera declared a state of emergency, deployed soldiers on the streets and said the country was “at war against a powerful and relentless enemy who respects nothing and no one.”

So far, Chile’s National Human Rights Institute (INDH) has reported that 15 people have died (five at the hands of the security forces), 226 have been injured (123 through firearms) and nearly 1,700 detained.

In addition, the INDH denounced alleged torture and abuse by security force members during the past five days of protests.

Piñera apologized on Tuesday to Chileans for not seeing their needs and announced a social agenda to reform the pensions, healthcare and pharmaceutical systems, as well as minimum wages and electricity tariffs, among other measures.

He presented these measures on national television towards the end of the fifth day of massive protests by people demanding a more equitable country, and at a time when much of the South American nation has been in a state of emergency and under curfew with the army in charge of security.