[JURIST] The Santiago Court of Appeals [Chilean judiciary website] voted 16-2 Thursday to strip the immunity of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet [BBC profile; JURIST news archive], in a case involving the kidnapping and murder of a chemist who worked for the secret police. Eugenio Berrios was kidnapped and taken to Uruguay to prevent him from being questioned in the assassination of Pinochet's rival, Orlando Letelier [Wikipedia profile]. Berrios was later murdered when he attempted to return to Chile [JURIST news archive]. Pinochet has the option of appealing the immunity ruling to Chile's Supreme Court.

This case marks the seventh time Pinochet's presidential immunity has been lifted [JURIST report]. Four other cases were dropped when a court ruled the 90-year-old's dementia rendered him unfit to stand trial. Besides the human rights charges against him, Pinochet is also facing allegations of tax evasion [JURIST report]. AP has more. From Santiago, La Nacion has local coverage.