Chilean Intellectuals
Support Detained
Filmmaker
Dozens of Chilean
intellectuals signed a
demand for precautionary
measures for moviemaker
Elena Varela, who has
been in prison for more
than two months.
Writers, journalists,
academics and directors
of audiovisual groups,
among others, signed a
letter to the
Inter-American Human
Rights Commission (CIDH),
expressing concern about
the situation of the
filmmaker and of freedom
of expression in Chile.
The letter recalls that
Varela was arrested
while she and her team
were shooting the
documentary Newen
Mapuche, on the demands
and conflict of that
indigenous group in
southern Chile, and that
"all the filmed
material, files and
documents on the
documentary" were
confiscated.
It is even more serious
that other tapes
resulting from her
artistic work were also
confiscated, the
intellectuals said in
the letter.
The filmmaker, who is
also a composer,
clarinet and saxophone
player, and orchestra
director, was accused of
illegal association to
commit a crime and of
involvement in two bank
assaults in 2004 and
2005.
The letter was signed by
National Journalism
Award winners Faride
Zeran and Juan Pablo
Cardenas, National
Literature Award winner
Jose Miguel Varas, among
other intellectuals.
Other signatories of the
letter were the Chilean
Association of
Documentary Makers (ADOC)
and the Audiovisual
Platform, filmmakers,
National Art Award
winners Jose Balmes,
Gonzalo Diaz and Eugenio
Dittborn, and National
History Award winners
Lautaro Nuñez and Jorge
Hidalgo. |
