Chile high court speeds up Pinochet rights trials

Source: Reuters

By Ignacio Badal

SANTIAGO, Chile, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Chile's Supreme Court gave judges on Tuesday a six-month deadline to wrap up investigations into hundreds of charges of human rights abuses under former dictator Augusto Pinochet, a move long sought by the military officers standing trial.

The high court said in a written resolution that judges investigating over 300 charges of murder, torture and kidnappings under Pinochet's 1973-1990 rule should file formal charges or indictments within six months or the cases would be closed.

The 356 human rights cases stemming from the Pinochet period have been winding their way through Chile's lower courts for years. Judges have reached verdicts in only eight cases.

The high court's decision came a week after a retired army intelligence officer killed himself because he was on trial for the murder of leftists while Pinochet was in power.

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