This archive report was first published on 22 November 2019.
Protests in Chile have been ongoing since last month, resulting in 22 deaths and over 2,000 injuries, with many demonstrators suffering eye damage from shotgun pellets.
Amnesty International released a report on Thursday, November 21, 2019, denouncing a "deliberate policy" of wounding protesters and accusing Chilean security forces of carrying out widespread attacks using unnecessary and excessive force.
Chile's President Sebastián Pinera has promised to investigate allegations of police violence, stating that if protocols were not met, "that will be investigated by the prosecutor's office and will be sanctioned by the courts of justice".
However, the Chilean government has rejected the Amnesty report, with human rights under-secretary Lorena Recabarren stating that it is "categorically rejected".
Despite the government's denial, the National Institute of Human Rights has reported 23 instances of human rights violations, with Amnesty International stating that these are not isolated incidents but rather a consistent pattern of violations throughout the country.
