SANTIAGO – The Chilean Supreme Court has decided to postpone until Monday, April 24, the ruling on the appeal for constitutional protection to release nine Bolivian officials.
Out of the 20 judges of the Chilean Supreme Court, five of them were acquainted with the appeal of ‘the improper detention’ of the two soldiers and seven customs officers during a border operation, he said.
In remarks to the La Razon Digital Chilean newspaper, lawyer expert on human rights Roberto Celedon, who defends the detainees, explained that if the judgment were positive it would be quite important and prevail over any other approach of a lower court.
The officials were arrested by police officers on March 19, while participating in an anti-smuggling operation.
Celedon informed that the Iquique Court of Appeal postponed the determination on the defense request to reverse the cautionary measures by which preventive detention was ruled on.
Chile holds that these convicted officers were in their territory and imprisoned in the Alto Hospicio Penitentiary for robbery by intimidation and violence, illegal possession of arms.
Nobel Peace Prize Rigoberta Menchu recently expressed her concern for this event, and also said that actions like these intensify the historical differences between Bolivia and Chile.
