Serious rights violations during Chile protests, says HRW

SANTIAGO: Chile’s national police committed “serious human rights violations” as weeks of violent demonstrations across the South American country claimed 25 lives, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report calling for police reforms.

HRW said the police, known as Carabineros, “committed serious human rights violations, including excessive use of force in the streets and abuses in detention”, during the protests.

The New York-based right group received hundreds of disturbing reports of abuse, including cases of beatings and sexual assault, Jose Miguel Vivanco, HRW’s director for the Americas, told a press conference in Santiago.

“We believe that the abuses are not isolated cases, they are not coincidences,” said Vivanco.

The rights groups said in a statement it met with President Sebastian Pinera in Santiago on Tuesday, recommending a series of reforms to help prevent police misconduct.

Reforms were needed amid “compelling evidence of excessive use of force and abuses against demonstrators and bystanders”.

Among its recommendations was a thorough reform of the Chilean police, including reviewing detention protocols for identity checks, setting up internal control mechanisms and more stringent training.

“We recognise the value of the Human Rights Watch report and the recommendations that have been made to us,” said Lorena Recabarren, the Chilean minister with responsibility for human rights.