The torture will be criminalized in Chilean Penal Code

Minister of Justice of Chile, José Antonio Gómez.

Minister of Justice of Chile José Antonio Gómez announced this Thursday the addition of the crime of torture to the Chilean Penal Code, after recognizing it is a pending debt of the country in the framework of the International Day against Torture.

“As a state of Chile we have weaknesses, shortcomings and we have undoubtedly pending commitments unfulfilled. Such is the case of torture, which is not considered a crime,” Gomez said.

“It’s a task that we will impose us to develop, which means ultimately that it wil be described in our Penal Code, in our law, which is an atrocious offense,” he continued.

Gómez also announced that the National Human Rights Institute (NHRI), an independent body, may act against acts of torture in occurred in democracy and it will develop a National Plan on Human Rights for the issue to be addressed by society.