[JURIST] Former Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori [Wikipedia profile, personal website] was denied release from jail in Chile [JURIST report] Tuesday pending a hearing on his extradition to face 21 Peruvian charges of corruption and human rights abuses during his presidency. Peru has 60 days to petition for Fujimori's extradition and current Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo has sent a high-level delegation to Chile to make arrangements. If convicted, Fujimori could face 30 years imprisonment and a $28.6 million fine for his alleged connection to death squad killings. Chile's arrest of Fujimori and agreement to extradite him may have come as a surprise to the former Peruvian leader who may have expected sanctuary when he arrived in the country Monday from his self-imposed exile in Japan based on Chile's record of blocking extradition for other former leaders. Fujimori fled Peru in the country in 2000 after being accused of corruption and of responsibility in the deaths of 25 people during his presidency. Peru's Supreme Court dropped an electoral fraud case against him [JURIST report] in June, and earlier this month another Peruvian court cleared him of corruption charges [JURIST report] in connection with a 1994 arms deal. AP has more.
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