Chile judge orders Pinochet arrest for prison abuses News
Chile judge orders Pinochet arrest for prison abuses

[JURIST] Chilean federal judge Alejandro Solis ordered the arrest of former dictator Augusto Pinochet [BBC profile; JURIST news archive] Friday on charges in connection with 36 cases of kidnapping, 23 cases of torture and a single case of homicide at the Villa Grimaldi prison [Wikipedia backgrounder], an infamous political detention center allegedly operated by Pinochet's secret police between 1974 and 1977 in Chile [JURIST news archive]. Pinochet will reportedly be placed under house arrest, according to court sources. Pinochet previously denied knowledge of the Villa Grimaldi crimes [JURIST report] during his initial meeting with Solis October 18.

Pinochet was stripped of his sovereign immunity by the Supreme Court of Chile [official website, in Spanish] in September, upholding a January 2006 decision [JURIST report] of a Chilean appeals court that paved the way for the Villa Grimaldi charges. Pinochet was also stripped of his immunity [JURIST report] October 13 in another case involving the 1976 assassination of Pinochet's rival, Orlando Letelier [Wikipedia profile]. The 90-year old Pinochet also faces charges of tax evasion [JURIST report]. Reuters has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

President Harding signed "anti-beer bill"

On November 23, 1921, President Warren G. Harding signed the Willis-Campbell Act, popularly termed the "anti-beer bill," prohibiting doctors from prescribing beer or liquor for medicinal purposes.

Convention on Cybercrimes opens for signature

On November 23, 2001, the Convention on Cybercrime was opened for signature in Budapest, Hungary, before entering into force on July 1, 2004. The Convention seeks to coordinate the Internet laws of signatory states and promote international enforcement of cybercrime laws. Learn more about the Convention on Cybercrime from the Council of Europe.