SANTIAGO – Chile’s Supreme Court yesterday ruled to broaden extradition charges against former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori, thus allowing national justice to prosecute him for felonies other than those included in his trial.
As is known, the ex-head of state was expelled from Chile and sent back to Peru in 2007 to face charges on crimes against humanity committed during his two terms in office (1990-2000).
Peru thus required Chile’s authorization to charge him with additional offences.
“The Supreme Court broadened the extradition [charges] against the ex-President of the Republic of Peru Alberto Fujimori Fujimori for crimes against humanity and conspiracy, but dismissed it for misappropriation of public funds,” says a statement released by Chile’s Judiciary on Tuesday.
In this sense, the Court reiterated such crimes represent “a violation of human dignity, as well as a serious and blatant breach of human rights and liberties proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”
However, the request to include misappropriation of public funds was dismissed on the grounds of expiration of the said criminal proceeding.
Fujimori case
Alberto Fujimori resigned as President of Peru by end-2000 amidst several scandals. Five years later, the fugitive ex-leader settled in Chile, where he was detained and extradited to Peru to face the trial that led to his imprisonment.
The sentence includes conspiracy and aggravated murder.
In 2012, the Chilean Supreme Court broadened charges to include the illegal diversion of military funds to buy Peruvian media outlets’ support for his re-election campaign.
