Good News from Chile: Investigations into torture of Moisés Órdenes continue

On February 24, 2023, a court in Chile ordered the reopening of investigations into the officers involved in the attack on Moisés Órdenes. Previously, the seven officers were excluded from the criminal investigation. The court in its ruling also requested that the pending investigative actions be carried out. This means the investigation will continue for at least the next 90 days.

NO FURTHER ACTION IS REQUESTED. MANY THANKS TO ALL WHO SENT APPEALS.

Download a copy of the outcome of UA 004/23 below:

Background

On October 21, 2019, Moisés Órdenes was attacked by Chilean police officers, Carabineros, while peacefully demonstrating in the streets of Santiago, Chile. On December 5, 2022, the public prosecutor at Santiago’s Eastern Metropolitan Office in charge of investigating the case decided to close its investigation into seven out of the 13 officers charged with the attack.

For months, Moises’ family and lawyers claimed there were inquiries left to be carried out and that the investigation was far from exhaustive.

Guarantee Moisés Órdenes’ right to justice

We called on the Regional Prosecutor at Santiago’s Eastern Metropolitan Office to reopen the investigation into those seven officers and guarantee Moisés Órdenes’ right to justice. We believe the decision taken by the court on 24 February is a step towards that call.

We will continue to monitor and mobilize around news of investigations into human rights violations during the period of social unrest, as documented in our 2020 report, Eyes on Chile: Police Violence and Chain of Command Responsibility. We will sustain our fight against impunity for police violence, both from individual perpetrators and from police commanders.

Chile: Justice for victim of torture at risk

Chile: A change based on justice

Amnesty International: Chile using violence as a deterrent