67
CHILE
-an informe de Amnistia Internacionai
Department in the intervening period.
The report was rejected in its entirety by the Chilean government, but the situation it describes has been only too fully corroborated from other sources. Among the many missions which were sent to Chile by international bodies of impeccable repute, one need only mention the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of American States.
All these bodies observed and reported continuing violations of human rights in every area of civil liberties. On 6 November 1974, the United Nations General Assembly made an urgent appeal to Chile "to restore basic human rights and fundamental freedoms". In February 1975, the UN Economic and Social Council Commission on Human Rights, meeting in Geneva, set up an ad hoc working group of five members "to inquire into the present situation of human rights in Chile". This is the first case of the commission undertaking an investigation into the internal situation of a UN member country outside southern Africa.
The cumulative effect of so many adverse reports from respected international bodies has been considerable. The Chilean government publicly declared that missions would not be welcome unless they had first visited the Soviet Union and the Republic of Cuba.
In addition to submitting evidence to bodies as varied as the UN Human Rights Commission and the International Commission of Inquiry in Mexico City, AI has briefed the many distinguished jurists, academics and others who have undertaken individual missions of inquiry. Their aims have varied from observing the judicial process to investigating the treatment of different sectors of Chilean society; but almost without exception, their findings have corroborated the conclusions of the research staff in the International Secretariat.
AI has continued its program of adoption and investigation of prisoners detained under the state of siege, and groups are now working on over 300 cases. In an attempt to assist the enormous numbers of detainees whose cases could not be included in an adoption program-many of whom had no charges preferred against them even after 18 months' detention-AI decided to launch a special campaign. Lists of detained doctors, journalists, lawyers, actors, trade unionists, etc., were sent to professional or trade associations which were asked to try to secure elementary legal and civil rights for them.
Even when prisoners are brought to trial, the procedures are anything but adequate. In June 1974, a German federal judge, Dr Horst Woesner, attended the trial of 57 air force officers and 10 civilians. In a letter to President Augusto Pinochet Ugarte, based on Dr Woesner's report, Secretary General Martin Ennals
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