SANTIAGO – The director of the National Institute of Human Rights (INDH) in Chile has said that the 15-year-old boy that accompanied Camilo Catrillanca, who has been killed by special forces, has been tortured after his arrest. Catrillanca got shot in the head by a stray bullet during a shootout between armed robbers and Carabineros. The 15-year-old boy who was at his side at that moment, was taken into custody after the incident.
This morning on Tele13 Radio, Consuelo Contreras, director of the National Institute of Human Rights (INDH), said the INDH will file a complaint against the Public Ministry for detaining a minor. According to Contreras, the boy, who accompanied Catrillanca during his final moments, was beaten after his arrest. The director called the arrest of the 15-year-old “one of the most serious crimes in the history” of the institute’s existence.
The detention of the boy was illegal, confirmed the National Ombudsman for Children. The Ombudsman´s office will join INDH in their case. Both institutions demand an investigation and the withdrawal of the Jungle Commando, the elite Carabineros force involved in the shooting that cost Camilo Catrillanca his life.
Nationwide protests and clashes in aftermath of death Mapuche man
Amnesty Chile calls Catrillanca’s death “outrageous”
Human rights organization Amnesty International Chile has called upon the Chilean government to investigate the death of Catrillanca. They called the death “outrageous and alarming”.
Amnesty Chile said that “the state must respect and guarantee the human rights of all people, in accordance with the international agreements that Chile has signed and ratified”.
In the same statement, Amnesty expressed their concern over the treatment of indigenous people in Chile. “The massive raids on communities of Mapuche people violate their human rights, and account for the state’s persecution and criminalization of indigenous peoples”.
The United Nations’ office in Chile asked for an investigation and sent out their condolences to the family of the Mapuche man.
Declaración pública de @amnistiachile sobre la muerte del joven comunero mapuche Camilo Catrillanca ➡https://t.co/YwDndB5x3W
¡Basta de criminalizar y perseguir a los pueblos indígenas!
#CamiloCatillanca @ObservatorioC @codepuchile @CIDSUR @Ka_Riquelme_ pic.twitter.com/gWq6mSnS3J
— Amnistía Chile (@amnistiachile) November 16, 2018
Editor-In-Chief Boris van der Spek is the founder of Chile Today.