VZCZCXYZ0002
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSG #0106 0292011
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 292010Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0635
INFO RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000106 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREL UN UNHRC IR CI
SUBJECT: Chile Demarched on Iran's Universal Periodic Review at UN 
Human Rights Council 
 
REF: 10 STATE 7242 
 
¶1. (SBU) On January 28, poloff delivered reftel demarche to 
Ambassador Carmen Hertz, Director of the Office of Human Rights at 
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Gerardo Ateaga, Deputy 
Director.  Amb. Hertz said that Chile's representative to the UN 
Human Rights Council, Amb. Carlos Portales, would no doubt be 
submitting written recommendations and suggestions before the Feb. 
1 deadline, although she did not offer specifics. 
 
 
 
¶2. (SBU) She said that Iran's human rights abuses were always 
"worrisome" to Chile, especially torture, the treatment of women 
and religious minorities (such as the Baha'i), the lack of 
religious freedom, and death penalty for minor offenses, which 
Ateaga noted is sometimes used against activists.  Both Hertz and 
Ateaga agreed with the United States' plan to urge Iran to finalize 
the visit of a delegation from the Office of the High Commissioner 
for Human Rights. 
 
 
 
Special Session on Haiti 
 
 
 
¶3. (SBU) Amb. Hertz pointed out that Chile supported the special 
session on Haiti of the Human Rights Council.  Hertz and Ateaga 
said they both supported deferring the universal periodic review on 
Haiti, since Haiti would not be able to prepare for it. 
URBAN