The fight for justice in Chile moves forward. The decision by a Chilean court to strip former dictator Gen. Augusto Pinochet of his congressional immunity from prosecution is proof that the wheels of justice may turn slowly, but they grind nonetheless. The ruling may still be appealed to the supreme court, but the message is clear: Tyrants are running out of places to hide.
The exact number of victims of Mr. Pinochet's rule may never be known. It is estimated that at least 3,000 people were murdered or "disappeared" during his 17 years in power. During that time, he once boasted that not even a leaf moved in Chile without his permission. Before leaving office after losing a plebiscite, Mr. Pinochet wrote a constitution that made him a senator for life and gave him immunity from all crimes committed during his term in office.
The general thought that was all the protection he needed. He learned otherwise in October, 1998, when he was subpoenaed during a visit to London by Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzon, who was investigating the disappearance of Spanish citizens in Chile during Mr. Pinochet's rule. A British court made history when it ruled that Mr. Pinochet could be extradited for alleged human-rights violations committed during his term in office. The British government then released Mr. Pinochet after deeming him medically unfit to stand trial.