Pinochet acquitted in rights case

Gen Pinochet has been deemed too ill to stand trial

Chile's Supreme Court has upheld the acquittal of ex-military ruler Augusto Pinochet in a human rights case.

He had been charged with ordering the abduction and murder of political adversaries in the so-called Operation Condor in the 1970s.

The court upheld an earlier appeals court decision which ruled that Gen Pinochet was too ill to face trial.

The move came a day after the Supreme Court stripped him of his immunity from prosecution in another case.

The court ruled he could face criminal charges in relation to the disappearance of 119 Chilean dissidents, which dates back to 1975.

The general's lawyers say his innocent.

So far, charges against Gen Pinochet have been thrown out in two cases on grounds of his ill health.

Critics accuse the 89-year-old, who suffers from diabetes, heart problems and mild dementia linked to minor strokes, of exaggerating his health problems to avoid standing trial.

More than 3,000 people died in political violence during his 1973-1990 regime, an official inquiry has concluded.