GENEVA - The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Gina Romero*, expressed alarm today at recent statements by Chile's incoming government regarding the possible granting of individual pardons to security force officials convicted of serious human rights violations during the 2019 social unrest.
"The persistence of impunity and the lack of effective justice for victims remain urgent obligations that the State of Chile must fulfill to ensure the non-repetition of these events," the Special Rapporteur stated, reiterating the conclusions of the preliminary observations from her official visit in July 2025. "Any measure that seeks to nullify sanctions imposed by independent courts constitutes an unacceptable setback in Chile's compliance with its international obligations."
The Special Rapporteur emphasises that international law strictly prohibits the use of clemency measures, such as pardons, to exempt perpetrators of crimes that may constitute torture, cruel treatment, or extrajudicial executions from accountability. States have a duty to promptly, thoroughly, and independently investigate any allegations of excessive use of force and ensure that those responsible are held accountable before the courts.
Granting pardons under the narrative that the officers are "victims of persecution" not only contradicts investigations and final court rulings, but also exerts undue pressure on the judiciary and mocks the victims.
Impunity for abuses committed in the context of protests sends a message of permissiveness that jeopardises the future exercise of the right to peaceful assembly, which not only undermines public trust in democratic institutions but also discourages the exercise of fundamental rights and freedoms.
"Pardoning those who committed abuses against people exercising their fundamental right to peaceful protest undermines the protection of all human rights," the expert added. "It is imperative that the State move forward with strengthening justice mechanisms and not with creating spaces of de facto impunity."
The Special Rapporteur's Office urgently calls on the Government of Chile to respect international standards and the decisions of the judicial system; to refrain from granting benefits that violate the victims' right to truth, justice, and reparation; and to strengthen accountability as the only legitimate means of ensuring that those who abuse power are held accountable before the law without exception.
Commitment to human rights must be demonstrated not only in rhetoric, but in the daily practice of protecting citizens and ensuring that the State's use of force is always subject to legal scrutiny and justice. Unrestricted respect for these principles must constitute the inescapable horizon for the incoming administration.
The expert is in contact with the Government on this issue.
