Chile

Human rights defenders in Chile have been subjected to acts of harassment, legal proceedings based on fabricated charges, forced evictions, stigmitisation, arbitrary detention, beatings, ill-treatment, torture and killings.

The UN SRSG indicates in her report on the situation of human rights defenders that Chilean defenders carry out a vast range of activities in defence of human rights including, “the provision of social, legal, medical and psychological help to victims of grave human rights violations, as well as the promotion and sensitizing the public to human rights issues; the conservation of documentation and information related to the human rights violations carried out during the military regime in Chile between 1973 and 1990; campaigning for justice and criminal prosecution of the perpetrators of crimes committed during the military dictatorship; promotion and defence of women’s rights; promotion and protection of the rights of children and young people; promotion and protection of freedom of expression; and help and protection of victims of sexual or domestic violence”. The situation of the indigenous Mapuche leaders, who defend their right to their ancestral land and campaign against deforestation, is well documented as they have been forcibly evicted, have been subjected to violent acts of harassment and have been prosecuted under anti-terrorist legislation. NGOs who defend indigenous rights have also been victims of harassment as have those who defend LGBTI rights.