In a landmark decision on the 29th of July, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights recognized the human rights violations suffered by the Mapuche, finally acknowledging the illegality of criminalizing communities protecting ancestral land. In the wake of expanding forestry projects, Chile systematically stripped the Mapuche of their territories, quelling protests with a discriminatorily applied anti-terrorist act and lengthy prison sentences.
FIDH represented a number of Mapuche convicted under this anti-terrorism legislation ruled by the Court to violate the principle of legality and the right to the presumption of innocence.
This ruling will set a precedent for similar cases falling under the jurisdiction of the IACHR.
Read further
Watch the interview