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Former Peruvian president
Fujimori leaves Chile jail on
bail
Chile's supreme court granted
bail of 3,000 U.S. dollars on
Thursday to Alberto Fujimori,
the former Peruvian president,
allowing him to leave the
Military Police School in
Chile's capital Santiago, where
he had been since Nov. 7.
Peru is trying to make Fujimori
stand trial for human rights
abuses and corruption.
Leaving the school at 3.30 p.m.
local time (1930 GMT) Thursday,
Fujimori told local media that
"obviously I am happy ... and I
am leaving the School in the
same conditions when I arrived."
The court said that "the
defendant's bail is not a danger
to public security or his
(alleged) victims, and will not
delay current court
proceedings."
Under the bail terms, Fujimori,
president from 1990 to 2000,
cannot leave Chile.
The court also refused a May 15
appeal by Fujimori's defense
team.
Prosecutors working for the
Peruvian government sent
documents to Santiago in January
demanding Fujimori's extradition
for 10 crimes, including two
human rights violations.
Investigating judge, Orlando
Alvarez, set bail at 3,000 U.S.
dollars, and Fujimori will now
probably begin living in a house
rented by his family in Las
Condes.
A Chilean minister, Jaimi
Rodriguez Espoz, had argued
against the decision saying that
the number and seriousness of
Fujimori's crimes mean that he
does represent a threat to
society, and Alfredo Etcheverry,
the Chilean lawyer representing
Peru, said thedecision was
regrettable, adding, "we fear
that Fujimori will fleethe
country."
Fujimori appeared in Chile on
Nov. 6, and was swiftly
arrested,as Peru has listed him
as a fugitive from justice since
2000.
He is barred from standing for
public office until at least
2011, due to his resignation
from the presidency in 2000
after hisgovernment collapsed
amid a corruption scandal.
Peru is seeking to try Fujimori
on 21 charges, from abuse of
power to allowing death squads
to operate, and ordering two
massacres, which have left a
total of 25 victims in 1991 and
1992.
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