In a statement published on X, the AFDD rejected a bill approved by a commission of the Chamber of Deputies that advocates conditional release for people of that age who suffer from a terminal illness, dementia, or some other disabling condition.

“Regulations like this are tailored to the inmates of Punta Peuco and Colina 1,” said the group about those who are in prison for murder, torture, and disappearances during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990). “Once again we see the duty to alert deputies of denialist initiatives like that and we demand that the Parliament stop this maneuver.”

The AFDD recalled that a similar bill was also put to a vote in the Senate last January, but was rejected.

Although the bill, which was presented by legislators from the National Renewal, Independent Democratic Union, and Republican parties, covers everyone who is 75 years old or older, the vast majority of beneficiaries are those convicted of crimes against humanity.

According to official data, there are about 325 elderly prisoners in the country, and of them 246 are serving sentences for the repression during the Pinochet regime.

The victims of the 17 years of dictatorship amount to more than 40 thousand, including murdered, disappeared, prisoners and tortured, not counting the 200 thousand exiles.

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