Uruguay compensates ex-political prisoners
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (CNN) — Uruguay has paid $42 million (973 million pesos) in compensation during the past three years to more than 3,000 former political prisoners, the state-run news agency said Monday.
The government paid out more than $15.5 million (359 million pesos) in 2007, $19.6 million (454 million pesos) in 2008 and $6.9 million (160 million pesos) in the first four months of this year, the Ultimas Noticias official news agency said.
The payments are being made to about 3,200 Uruguayans imprisoned between February 9, 1973, and February 29, 1985, when a military dictatorship held power, the news agency said.
Amnesty International calculated that in 1976 Uruguay had more political prisoners per capita than any other nation in the world, with about one prisoner for every 415 citizens.
Amnesty International also noted the “widespread and systematic use of torture” during that period.
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