Chile's Supreme Court on Wednesday said former dictator Augusto Pinochet can face criminal charges related to the disappearance and murder of at least 15 leftists in a 1975 human rights case known as Operation Colombo.
It was the third human rights case in which the high court has removed Pinochet's immunity from prosecution - a privilege of former presidents. The immunity issue must be resolved on a case-by-case basis.
Judge Jose Benquis, acting president of the court, told reporters that the court ruled 10 to six to strip Pinochet of immunity in the case.
Judge Victor Montiglio, who is investigating and prosecuting Operation Colombo, wants to charge Pinochet with responsibility in the deaths of at least 15 political opponents including armed rebels from the Revolutionary Leftist Movement.
Human rights groups say the Operation Colombo case involved 119 leftists who were taken prisoner by Chile's secret police and killed. They say the Pinochet regime planted news stories in 1975 in Argentina and Brazil alleging the dissidents had died fighting among themselves.
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