Santiago, Chile, Jan 3 (Prensa Latina) In a landmark decision, Chile's Supreme Court this week overturned the statute of limitations, a mechanism that allowed for reduced sentences for those convicted of human rights violations during the dictatorship.

The ruling affirms that measures cannot be applied to benefit perpetrators of crimes against humanity.

As a result of the decision, four convicts will return to prison, two will serve full house arrest, and 24 will have their sentences increased, including Miguel Krassnoff, sentenced to more than 1,000 years in prison for torture, kidnapping, murder, and enforced disappearances.

For Beatriz Contreras, head of the National Institute for Human Rights (INDH) in the Metropolitan Region, the Court’s decision is a necessary act of justice for the victims and their families.

“At the National Institute for Human Rights (INDH), we will remain vigilant to ensure that this precedent translates into a permanent practice in our courts, guaranteeing strict respect for international human rights law and its standards,” she stated.

Meanwhile, lawyer Karinna Fernandez considered this a historic step toward true justice.

“The message is clear: Chile’s international obligations have no time or place limits, and no institution can excuse itself from firmly punishing crimes that constitute serious human rights violations,” she declared.

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