Catholic Church seeks prisoner pardons in Chile; some guilty of crimes against humanity

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — The Roman Catholic Church is petitioning Chile’s government for prisoner pardons that would include people responsible for crimes against humanity.

The church is asking for the pardons as part of the commemoration of the 200th anniversary of Chile’s independence on Sept. 18. The church proposes pardons for those older than 70, any with a terminal decease and women who are mothers.

The controversy centers on the inclusion of some convicted of committing crimes during the 1973-90 dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet. According to official statistics, 3,065 opponents of Pinochet’s regime were killed and 1,200 more disappeared.

The Group of Families of Detainees and Missing People has asked President Sebastian Pinera not to pardon anyone accused of committing such crimes during Pinochet’s dictatorship.