REPUBLIC OF CHILE: Decision to cancel APEC and COP25 will not divert the international community's attention from human rights violations

7 Nov 2019

[International Secretariat]

Region: REPUBLIC OF CHILE

Topic:

“President Piñera’s decision to cancel APEC and COP25, which Chile was due to host in the coming weeks, will not divert international attention from the grave human rights violations that have and are being committed in Chile in the context of violent repression. The eyes of the world are on Chile, and the international community has an obligation to continue to demand an end to these atrocious acts, and justice and reparation for the victims and their families."

Ana Piquer, executive director of Amnesty International Chile, added:

“The cancellation of COP25 cannot serve as an excuse for the government to continue to fail to recognize that serious human rights violations that the military and the police are committing, and that it must take urgent measures to stop them."

“Nor can it be an excuse to set aside the urgent measures required in Chile to address the environment and the climate crisis, which are in fact a fundamental part of the citizens’ demands that provoked the recent mass demonstrations. The government must listen to these demands and also sign the Escazú Agreement and guarantee that human rights and environmental defenders can work in safety.”

Amnesty International has deployed its Americas Crisis Response team to document human rights violations in Chile.

31 October 2019
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PRESS RELEASE