[JURIST] The Chilean army has formally accepted responsibility for human rights violations from 1973-1990 under General Augusto Pinochet's rule. Chilean President Ricardo Lagos called it a "historic step" towards national unity. Current Army Commander General Juan Emilio Chyre offered no excuses and said that the army accepted full responsibility for these previous rights abuses. Under Gen Pinochet's rule, which began in 1973 after a coupthat ousted elected socialist President Salvador Allende, more than 30,000 Chilean leftists were tortured, assassinated or simply disappeared–at least 3,000 are accepted to have died. A government commission report, to be released next week, is expected to expose the torture under Gen Pinochet's rule. Gen Pinochet faces prosecution for alleged human rights abuses in the Chilean courts, however, the cases have not gone forward, most recently due to concerns over Pinochet's health. BBC News has a timeline of the Pinochet case. JURIST's Paper Chasehas recent coverage of the case. BBC News has more.