The National Commission on Political Imprisonment and Torture
received thousands of testimonies of people, men and women who lived suffered political imprisonment and torture throughout the country between September 11, 1973 and March 10, 1990. The accounts given about what lived in these circumstances allowed the Commission to gather background on of 1,132 precincts used as places of detention in the country's thirteen regions.
The large number of testimonies received by the Commission to identify some common issues across the country in terms of how people were detained, the conditions under which they were deprived of freedom and the characteristics of the interrogation and torture they were subjected. Were used as places of detention and interrogation of the most various units belonging to different branches of the Armed Forces barracks
Carabineros and Investigations, ships, municipalities, stadiums, prison camps, prisons and secret places of the National Intelligence Directorate (DINA) and the National Intelligence (CNI).
Practically everyone who testified before this Committee placed on record that they were arrested with extreme violence. Some even before her children, whatever their age, in the middle of the night, screaming, beatings and death threats over the custody and other family members, creating an atmosphere of terror and anguish. In many cases the family was desolate and fearing for the life of the family was out of the house in the middle of punches, kicks and threats. In some, especially in rural areas and small towns
detainees were exposed to the people of his community to intimidate others, forcing them to watch, helplessly, the violence that was unloaded on those being detained. Most detainees were taken to detention centers are among threatened, beaten, tied and blindfolded or hooded, not knowing what his destiny.
Respondents described the route followed after being arrested, the conditions under which they were deprived of their liberty and treatment they suffered. They referred especially to interrogation and torture they were subjected. During the period that ran the National Intelligence Directorate (DINA) was difficult for detainees to know the exact location and identification of these compounds, mainly due to measures taken by their captors to keep secret and secret of those places. Thus, many of these, called precincts remain unknown, especially in regions.
regard to periods of operation of detention facilities, the statements taken by the Commission can establish approximate was used when a particular place. It established a range of dates between which received testimony from people who were detained in an enclosure. The testimonies to identify periods of increased concentration of detainees. In some cases, it was possible to corroborate this information with the reports issued by the International Red Cross (CRI), after visiting some places of detention.
As the numbers of detainees held by campus, these are the number of those who testified before the Commission and not the total number of political prisoners who were at each place. Down Along this should be considered the fact that most of the detainees passed through different places and not always mentioned all venues in which they were arrested. Therefore, the figures are relative and approximate, and almost always less than the total number of which were held in each precinct.
As noted in other chapters of the report, the largest number of arrests were made in the days after the coup, with a massive commitment of all branches of the armed forces, police and Research, which is shown in staff acted as the use of their premises and many other institutional resources. Thus, in the first months after September 11, 1973 were used as detention centers most of the military and police installations in the country. Also were used as temporary enclosures, a variety of public buildings, town halls, places of work or studies, such as hospitals, industries, schools, colleges and universities, and private venues, especially in rural areas. Some people were held there for hours or a few days and then were transferred to other places or released.
Those arrested between 1973 and 1975 show that during his detention were kept in poor conditions. Although conditions varied, usually slept on the floor, without mattresses or blankets, deprived of food and water or with poor nutrition, often inedible. They lived
crowded and unsanitary conditions without access to bathroom, enduring constant humiliation and abuse of power.
Since September 1973, and in general, until the end of 1976 were fitted several prison camps in the country. The prisoners were sent from different regions in these places, staying for months in detention, without contact with their families and many of them without being prosecuted.
People from rural areas, villages or small towns relate short-term detention. Many of them were subject to checks on their freedom of movement for periods that sometimes lasted for years, having to sign every day in police stations or barracks military, even in some cases several times a day.
During the years 1974 and 1977, there was a significant decrease in the number of arrests. During this period acted mainly police, the Police Department and the Directorate of National Intelligence (DINA). In some cases, acted the Military Intelligence Service (SIM), Intelligence Service of the Air Force (SIFA), the Joint Command, the Police Intelligence Service (SICAR), called for a period as a Police Intelligence Directorate (DICAR). The detainees were kidnapped
unknown compounds and the denial of the fact
his arrest was a common practice. Many prisoners disappeared from these places. In regions, it has functioned within some military sites and remained there for a while.
Detainees by the National Intelligence Directorate (DINA) did not appear publicly as detainees. Daily life in those places characterized by unsanitary conditions and constant physical psychological pressure on prisoners, keeping them tied up, blindfolded and in total uncertainty about the outcome of the irregular situation that affected them. In addition, at all times were subject to brutal interrogations. As noted in other chapters, interviews were almost always subjected to many tortures prisoners
.
Since 1978, arrests were made by police and Research, intelligence and especially the National Intelligence (CNI), and to a lesser extent others such as the Police Intelligence Service (SICAR) and Directorate Police Communications (DICOMCAR), and even by groups not officially recognized as the Martyrs' Avengers Command (COVEMA). Some detainees were imprisoned and subjected to endless lawsuits. Others, especially people linked to social movement and student population, were relegated to different administrative parts of the country after short periods of detention.
During the 1980's, especially in cities, there was an increase in arrests. They fell on the participants in social mobilization and national protests, and political organizations that opted for armed struggle.
prisons were enclosures where they remained persons prosecuted or sentenced during the military regime, although in the early years also held numerous detainees by military prosecutors order not be a trial against him on charges or vague and arbitrary.
some venues have been selected among those who were identified by the Commission, for a brief description that includes the location and dependence, the approximate period of its operation, and conditions of detention and treatment of prisoners.
The selection of venues in each region are ordered according to the following criteria:
a) The importance of the site. It is those who gathered the largest number of detainees and those where the interrogations took place, centralizing information and intelligence which decided the fate of the prisoners immediately.
b) The condition or clandestine secret places of detention, interrogation where effected
and there was a systematic practice of torture against detainees. Correspond to the intelligence agencies as the National Intelligence Directorate (DINA), the National Intelligence (CNI), the Joint Command of the Police Intelligence Service (SICAR) or Police Communications Division (DICOMCAR).
c) Those which are highlighted by the application of abuse and particularly cruel torture against prisoners, men and women.
d) The period of operation, so that if we could appreciate what happened during the period included in the mandate of the Commission.
The description of the enclosures is presented sorted by region preceded by a brief introduction about what happened in the region, periods of operation, the main agencies involved and the most common route followed by the prisoners from the time of his arrest. These descriptions are based on the evidence submitted by the victims. In turn, the description of the methods of torture used in the enclosures refer to those recurrent practices described by respondents who remained in them.
Then for each region, a list of enclosures attached clearly identified by several witnesses, numbering in total 802 places of detention.
were excluded from this list 330 precincts as deemed that for the
small number of testimonies concerning them, were not significant enough to be included in the roster.
0 comments:
Post a Comment