Switzerland receives medical report on Pinochet

Switzerland is one of the countries which has received a medical report on the health of the former Chilean dictator, Augusto Pinochet. It follows a court ruling in London that his medical details must be divulged to countries seeking his extradition.

Switzerland is one of the countries which has received a medical report on the health of the former Chilean dictator, Augusto Pinochet, following the court ruling in London that his medical details must be divulged to countries seeking his extradition.

A spokesman for the federal police office in Berne said a copy of the report would also be forwarded to the justice authorities of canton Geneva, which led the campaign for Pinochet to be extradited to Switzerland.

The British government has given the four countries involved in attempted extradition proceedings – Belgium, France, Spain and Switzerland – until next Tuesday to give their opinions on the report.

No decision has yet been taken on the content or form of Switzerland’s response, said the justice ministry spokesman.

The report on Pinochet’s health had previously been kept secret, but was released after Belgium and a number of human rights groups challenged it in the courts. Doctors had made it clear Pinochet was too ill to stand trial on human rights abuse charges.

Switzerland’s demand for his extradition stems from the disappearance of a joint Swiss-Chilean man, Alexei Jaccard, who was arrested by Chile’s secret service in Argentina in 1977.

From staff and wire reports