The Pinochet Proceedings: Propelling a new climate of transitional politics

Authors

  • Alice Pease CNR-IRPPS

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14600/irpps_wps.91.2016

Keywords:

Augusto Pinochet, universal jurisdiction, transitional justice, individual criminal accountability

Abstract

This paper analyses the proceedings brought against Augusto Pinochet. After a description of the case which took place on a truly transnational level, involving jurists, politicians and human rights groups across two continents, the paper will look at the impact on political life in Chile, arguing that transnational justice was important in not only seriously discrediting the former president, but also in propelling a new political climate where new actors, in particular victims and judges, were given a greater prominence in the process of transnational justice. This sense of empowerment has had an impact at a global level, with victims elsewhere seeking to bring perpetrators of human rights violations accountable in foreign courts. The paper concludes that despite the success of the Pinochet proceedings in giving human rights a greater platform in Chile, the possibilities of universal jurisdiction becoming a widespread tool for victims around the globe are limited, now that national lawmakers have placed significant restrictions on the exercise of extraterritorial jurisdiction.

Author Biography

Alice Pease, CNR-IRPPS

Research assistant at the National Research Council, Institute for Research on Population and Social Policies (CNR-IRPPS), Via Palestro, 32 - 00185 Rome, Italy, e-mail: alicerosiepease@gmail.com. This paper is part of a project on the emerging criminal justice system carried out at IRPPS-CNR. I would like to thank Professor Daniele Archibugi for his guidance whilst writing this paper.

References

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Published

2016-12-02

How to Cite

Pease, A. (2016). The Pinochet Proceedings: Propelling a new climate of transitional politics. IRPPS Working Papers, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.14600/irpps_wps.91.2016

Issue

IRPPS WPs pubblicati nel 2016

Section

Working Papers

License

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