Chile's Court of Appeal today ordered former dictator Gen Augusto Pinochet's fingerprints and mug shots to be registered like those of any crime suspect, overturning its previous ruling delaying the procedure.
Forcing Gen Pinochet to be registered with police is considered a symbolic, humiliating affront by his supporters, who had won three delays so far. Gen Pinochet's lawyers could technically lodge another appeal.
Prosecuting attorneys said the court, which delayed the move two weeks ago citing the fragile health of the 85-year-old Gen Pinochet, who is facing trial on charges of covering up kidnappings and killings during his 1973-90 military rule, had found irregularities in its original ruling.
The judges ... proceeded to cancel the ruling suspending registering Gen Pinochet ... and have ordered it to be carried out immediately, prosecuting lawyer Mr Hugo Gutierrez said.
Legal sources say the military court ordered to provide Gen Pinochet's prints and photographs could choose to use examples stored in a Civil Register database to spare him embarrassment.
Gen Pinochet now faces the lesser charges of covering up killings and citing the fragile health of the 85-year-old Gen Pinochet, who is facing trial on charges of covering up kidnappings and killings during his 1973-90 military rule, had found irregularities in its original ruling.
The judges ... proceeded to cancel the ruling suspending registering Gen Pinochet ... and have ordered it to be carried out immediately, prosecuting lawyer Mr Hugo Gutierrez said.
Legal sources say the military court ordered to provide Gen Pinochet's prints and photographs could choose to use examples stored in a Civil Register database to spare him embarrassment.
Gen Pinochet now faces the lesser charges of covering up killings and abductions under his government after original charges of planning them were watered down by a Chilean appeals court.
More than 3,000 people, most of them suspected leftists, were killed or disappeared during his military rule.
Judge Mr Juan Guzman is studying the evidence before either formally accusing Gen Pinochet or throwing out the case.
Gen Pinochet escaped extradition to Spain from Britain last year on charges of torture and human rights abuses after he was judged mentally unfit to stand trial.