Chile: Reform Police in the Wake of Protests

(Santiago de Chile, November 26, 2019) – Chilean authorities should overhaul the police force in the wake of compelling evidence of excessive use of force and serious abuses against demonstrators, Human Rights Watch said today. Starting on October 18, 2019, thousands of Chileans took to the streets to protest an increase in the price of public transportation. The demonstrations broadened to reflect anger over serious deficiencies in the provision of social services and economic inequality. During weeks of protests, some of which were very violent, Carabineros, Chile’s national police, committed serious human rights violations, including excessive use of force in the streets, arrests without judicial oversight, and abuses in detention.