{"id":9374,"date":"2020-03-02T03:56:21","date_gmt":"2020-03-02T11:56:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/?p=9374"},"modified":"2020-03-02T03:56:21","modified_gmt":"2020-03-02T11:56:21","slug":"our-children-are-going-to-prison-chile-holds-scores-of-minors-arrested-during-protests-the-guardian","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/?p=9374","title":{"rendered":"&#8220;&#8216;Our children are going to prison&#8217;: Chile holds scores of minors arrested during protests&#8221;, The Guardian"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Sophia Boddenberg and Charis McGowan,\u00a0Santiago, 2 Mar 2020<\/p>\n<p><em>Many Chilean minors have been detained since the protests began, in a youth justice system rife with cruelty and abuse<\/em><\/p>\n<p>More than 180 children in <a class=\"u-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/chile\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Chile<\/a> have been held in preventive detention \u2013 some for up to four months \u2013 for their participation in the wave of social unrest which have rocked the country since October.<\/p>\n<p>Tens of thousands of people have been arrested since protests over rising metro fares spiraled into nationwide demonstrations against inequality. Violent clashes between police and protesters have left 445 people with eye injuries from police shotguns \u2013 34 have permanently lost sight. More than 30 people have died.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"element element-rich-link element--thumbnail element-rich-link--upgraded\" data-component=\"rich-link\" data-link-name=\"rich-link-1 | 1\">\n<div class=\"rich-link tone-feature--item rich-link--pillar-news\">\n<div class=\"rich-link__container\">\n<div class=\"rich-link__image-container u-responsive-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/77b0d6aabb405d1562feec26d0cf9bfefffd4d1f\/221_105_2904_1742\/master\/2904.jpg?width=460&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=15c139d574ebff9c302fb2f1b9580136\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-link__header\">\n<h2 class=\"rich-link__title\"><a class=\"rich-link__link\">Chile protesters: &#8216;We are subjugated by the rich. It&#8217;s time for that to end&#8217;<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-link__read-more\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Figures from Chile\u2019s <a class=\"u-underline\" href=\"http:\/\/www.dpp.cl\/\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">penal ombudsman<\/a> show that 4,080 minors were arrested between October and December, <a class=\"u-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.elmostrador.cl\/noticias\/pais\/2020\/02\/14\/la-doctrina-del-shock-detras-de-prision-preventiva-de-menores-en-centros-del-sename\/\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">186 of whom were then put in preventive detention<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Damian Toro, 17, was arrested on 21 October for throwing a molotov cocktail at police officers.<\/p>\n<p>Prosecutors have refused to release him to house arrest before his trial in April, on the grounds that he is a threat to society, but his mother, Cristina Navarrete, insists his actions caused no injuries or damages.<\/p>\n<p>Navarrete, a former factory worker who lives in the Quilicura suburb of Santiago, said her son \u2013 who had hoped to go to university but could not afford the fees \u2013 acted out of anger at the country\u2019s gaping inequality.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is so much injustice in our country. He is part of the generation that wants change,\u201d said Navarette.<\/p>\n<p>Chile\u2019s juvenile detention centres and orphanages are run by the National Youth Service (Sename), which has been criticised by Human Rights Watch and the UN for conditions which have left children dead, abused and violated.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"img-2\" class=\"element element-image img--portrait  fig--narrow-caption fig--has-shares \" data-component=\"image\" data-media-id=\"8a9ab8c40e0bd5c6126d51e2d224092095adb135\">\n<div class=\"u-responsive-ratio\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/8a9ab8c40e0bd5c6126d51e2d224092095adb135\/0_120_960_1018\/master\/960.jpg?width=620&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=6889276b5f52679847b647d7cf279b5c 1240w\" media=\"(min-width: 660px) and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), (min-width: 660px) and (min-resolution: 120dpi)\" sizes=\"620px\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/8a9ab8c40e0bd5c6126d51e2d224092095adb135\/0_120_960_1018\/master\/960.jpg?width=620&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=b54fdfd06e4b2938cd8a58461a3c52e7 620w\" media=\"(min-width: 660px)\" sizes=\"620px\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/8a9ab8c40e0bd5c6126d51e2d224092095adb135\/0_120_960_1018\/master\/960.jpg?width=605&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=90785dff97a81f6a39c3cebb81fc8df7 1210w\" media=\"(min-width: 480px) and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), (min-width: 480px) and (min-resolution: 120dpi)\" sizes=\"605px\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/8a9ab8c40e0bd5c6126d51e2d224092095adb135\/0_120_960_1018\/master\/960.jpg?width=605&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=ba1dffaad830ec6235eefdd77ee77be7 605w\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\" sizes=\"605px\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/8a9ab8c40e0bd5c6126d51e2d224092095adb135\/0_120_960_1018\/master\/960.jpg?width=445&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=1b88e3ff6dba1c7b9cdca5dba46f9acd 890w\" media=\"(min-width: 0px) and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), (min-width: 0px) and (min-resolution: 120dpi)\" sizes=\"445px\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/8a9ab8c40e0bd5c6126d51e2d224092095adb135\/0_120_960_1018\/master\/960.jpg?width=445&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=5e8eb02a6d799d3e7ef334180804eb0b 445w\" media=\"(min-width: 0px)\" sizes=\"445px\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gu-image\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/8a9ab8c40e0bd5c6126d51e2d224092095adb135\/0_120_960_1018\/master\/960.jpg?width=300&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=8c67f5bd228640bba0635819f40d50cc\" alt=\"Damian Toro and his mother Cristina Navarrete.\" \/><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"block-share block-share--article  hide-on-mobile \" data-link-name=\"block share\"><a class=\"rounded-icon block-share__item block-share__item--facebook js-blockshare-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=180444840287&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2020%2Fmar%2F02%2Fchile-protests-minors-held-prison%3FCMP%3Dshare_btn_fb%26page%3Dwith%3Aimg-2%23img-2&amp;picture=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.guim.co.uk%2F8a9ab8c40e0bd5c6126d51e2d224092095adb135%2F0_120_960_1018%2F960.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" data-link-name=\"social facebook\"><span class=\"u-h\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"rounded-icon block-share__item block-share__item--twitter js-blockshare-link\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=%27Our%20children%20are%20going%20to%20prison%27%3A%20Chile%20holds%20scores%20of%20minors%20arrested%20during%20protests&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2020%2Fmar%2F02%2Fchile-protests-minors-held-prison%3FCMP%3Dshare_btn_tw%26page%3Dwith%3Aimg-2%23img-2\" target=\"_blank\" data-link-name=\"social twitter\"><span class=\"u-h\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"rounded-icon block-share__item block-share__item--pinterest js-blockshare-link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?description=%27Our%20children%20are%20going%20to%20prison%27%3A%20Chile%20holds%20scores%20of%20minors%20arrested%20during%20protests&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2020%2Fmar%2F02%2Fchile-protests-minors-held-prison%3Fpage%3Dwith%3Aimg-2%23img-2&amp;media=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.guim.co.uk%2F8a9ab8c40e0bd5c6126d51e2d224092095adb135%2F0_120_960_1018%2F960.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" data-link-name=\"social pinterest\"><span class=\"u-h\">Pinterest<\/span><\/a><\/div><figcaption class=\"caption caption--img caption caption--img\">Damian Toro and his mother, Cristina Navarrete. Photograph: Courtesy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>A <a class=\"u-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/ciperchile.cl\/wp-content\/uploads\/informe-emilfork4.pdf\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">damming report by the national investigative police <\/a>found that sexual abuse against detained minors has been recorded in 50% of Sename centres, while 88% of Sename detainees reported physical or sexual abuse and mistreatment.<\/p>\n<div id=\"dfp-ad--inline1\" class=\"js-ad-slot ad-slot ad-slot--inline ad-slot--inline1 ad-slot--gc ad-slot--rendered\" data-link-name=\"ad slot inline1\" data-name=\"inline1\" data-mobile=\"1,1|2,2|300,197|300,250|300,274|fluid\" data-phablet=\"1,1|2,2|300,197|300,250|300,274|620,350|550,310|fluid\" data-desktop=\"1,1|2,2|300,250|300,274|620,1|620,350|550,310|fluid\" data-google-query-id=\"CLzy8cXd--cCFfAprQYdqz8Nzw\"><\/div>\n<p>In January the Senate approved a proposal to close down Sename and reform the juvenile care and detention system, but the changes could take years to complete.<\/p>\n<p>Alexis Aguirre, a lawyer for the National Institute of Human Rights (INDH), has investigated cases of minors abused while being held in Sename institutions after participating in the protests.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen a child is subjected to cruel and inhuman treatment, you generate irreparable psychological damage,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe state should adopt all measures to promote physical and psychological recuperation and help the social reintegration of all vulnerable children,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Claudette Medina, head of communications at Sename, said that any abuse of minors detained since October had not occurred in their detention centres.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe human rights violations have been perpetrated by other agents of the state, such as police forces.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She said that the Sename has worked with organizations such as the INDH and Unicef to ensure the wellbeing of detained minors.<\/p>\n<p>Sof\u00eda Ar\u00e9valo, 17, was arrested on 5 November, over an incident involving a burning rubbish bag which was dropped next to a municipal building in the suburban town of Buin.<\/p>\n<p>No damage was caused to the property, but prosecutors allege that Sof\u00eda told others to light the bag on fire, and have accused her of being an \u201cintellectual author\u201d of potentially fatal arson attack.<\/p>\n<p>Sof\u00eda\u2019s school teacher, Katherine Hern\u00e1ndez, described the charges as ludicrous.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow can you say a person is dangerous if you\u2019re not even sure that they were involved in the attack?\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>After 70 days in the Sename, and three failed appeals, Sof\u00eda was eventually granted house arrest on 22 January.<\/p>\n<p>Her trial is set for the end of March. She could face up to three years in the Sename.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe\u2019s scared \u2013 we\u2019re all scared as we don\u2019t know how this could end,\u201d said Hernandez, adding that Sofia is not the same person as she was before her detention. \u201cThey changed her.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Damian Toro is currently waiting for his fifth appeal for house arrest. Navarette said he is hopeful, but she is wary of getting her hopes up.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe is being punished for going to a protest,\u201d she said, breaking into tears. \u201cOur children are in prison.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"after-article js-after-article\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2020\/mar\/02\/chile-protests-minors-held-prison\">\u00a0The Guardian<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"submeta \"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sophia Boddenberg and Charis McGowan,\u00a0Santiago, 2 Mar 2020 Many Chilean minors have been detained since the protests began, in a youth justice system rife with cruelty and abuse More than 180 children in Chile have been held in preventive detention \u2013 some for up to four months \u2013 for their participation in the wave of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1001004,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[53],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9374"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1001004"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9374"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9374\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9375,"href":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9374\/revisions\/9375"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9374"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9374"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9374"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}