CHILE: STATUS REPORT ON THE PRISONER RELEASE PROGRAM

Created: 10/23/1974

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

l!

Stitui Raportion the Prisoner Release Program

Zn hia Septemberpeech marking the armed forces' first year in power, junta President Pinochet announced what was billedajor prisoner release program. Freedom has been slow in coming for the vast majority of prisoners, but the program is stillrief look at the key issues involved followsi

WHO QUALIFIES FOR RELEASE?

This question has given rise to consideraole speculation and some confusion. Pinochet referred specifically to "those arrested under tha state of siege." The government since has interpreted his words more narrowly. On October 4, Interior Minister Ber.avides declaredersons were beingunder stata-of-sloge provisions as of He6 already has been freed, and of the remainder, all except those against whom there were "serious* charges soon would be released.

Pinochet had said that the release program might "be extended in certain cases to people alreadybut Benavides carefully distinguished between the "detainees" against whom no charges had yet been brought, and "those persons who have been placed at the disposition of military or regularenavides1 definition of detainees excludedrisoners already tried and sentcmcod or charged and awaiting trial. This larger groupwill not benefit from the initial stage of the releasa program, but there are Indications that many in tha group eventually will be freed, perhapsrogram of pardonsimited.

m v;rc=

4

I

I't

[

f 1 'I !

MILL THE PORKER PRISONERS HAVE TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY?

In Announcing the release program, Pinochat lm-piled that only persons who agreed to leave Chile ould be freed. It appears, however, that moat of tho no now being releaaed are, in fact, beinct allowed to remain in the country. The first atage essentiallypeeding up of the normal investigative proceas that results in the rolease or charging of each detainee. Sinca those being releaaed have not been charged with serious offensee,there Is In moat caaes no reason for exile. Allende regimeas alreadyam* expelled former ambassador to the USwill be exceptions.

When the government begins releasing persons charged with "serious" offenses or those already tried and convicted, however, it is likely to require many to leave. isinclination to receive more Chilean refugees in Europe and Latin America, could impede the release of those individuals the government will not allow to roam free in Chile.

THE CHALLENGE TO CUBA AND THE SOVIET UNION

Pinochet coupled his announcement with athat the military governmentmoral duty" before Implementing its program to "demand that the USSR and Cuba. .offer the right too an equal number of arrested persons or convicted prisoners." Government spokesmen quickly rejected use of the term prisoner "exchange" however, and it soon became clear that while the government hoped toropaganda harvest from the challenge, positive Soviet and Cuban responses would not be preconditions for the release of Chilean prisoners. ;

i

4

this month the government promised that all then-current "detainees" would be freed or charged by early November. Of course* it should be noted that individuals continue to be arrested and there is unlikely ,toiven point in time when there are nohatever.

C

for,those facing trial or already tried may bo linked to continuing Chilean attempts to get maximum!propaganda mileage out of the challenge.

THE

jAsida from the many "detainees" who would have been freed eventually anyway, the prisoner release program remainsromiaeeality. If the (iiat stage winds up.next month as scheduled, and if the government by then determines that it has milked1 the challenge for all it is worth, the program may gat'Underway in earnest. There could beprogreae by Christmas.

riH .toitei My,:

ISl

4

Original document.

---

---