by Hugh Davies, 25 October 2012.
The Chilean Supreme Court yesterday ruled to annul part of the trial that in August of this year found two members of the Mapuche community guilty of the murder of policeman General Ivan Bezmalinovic. Paulino Levipán, 19, and Daniel Levinao, 18, have both been on hunger strike for 60 days, demanding the annulment of the judgement. The men are being held in Angol Prison, in Southern Chile.
In the case of Levinao, ministers have ordered a new trial to take place on the grounds that there was “a lack of fundamental evidence” in the original ruling. The Levipán charges have been re-categorised as assault on a police offer rather than attempted murder and he will be allowed to leave prison imminently. Both men still face charges of illegal arms possession.
The unanimous verdict was read by Judge Milton Juica and the action represents a great triumph for the indigenous community. It is thought that the result might bring to an end the hungry strike which the two youths and two other inmates convicted of similar crimes have been carrying out in the prison. The four men come from the community of Wente Wilkun Mapa, near Chequekno, an area that has been plagued by conflict between Mapuche farmers and forestry companies over land ownership.
Source: The Argentina Independent