From the 2007 News Archive

Professor José Zalaquett, Former President of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, to Lead Human Rights Discussion on January 24

José Zalaquett, former President of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and co-director of the Human Rights Centre at the Law School of the University of Chile, will lead a panel discussion about the international protection of human rights at the University of Maryland School of Law on Wednesday, January 24 at 5 p.m.

Professor Zalaquett is in residence at the School of Law as a Distinguished Visiting Professor. A professor of law at the University of Chile, Mr. Zalaquett was appointed by the President of Chile to serve on the National Commission for Truth and Reconciliation, which was responsible for investigating and reporting on the human rights abuses committed during the Pinochet regime.

Following the 1973 military coup in Chile, Professor Zalaquett headed the human rights department of the Committee for Peace, an ecumenical human rights organization dedicated to defending the victims of the coup and their families. After being imprisoned twice for his activities, he was expelled in 1976, but returned to Chile in 1986 to assist with his country’s return to civilian rule in 1990. He was also a member of the Mesa de Dialogo, a series of government-sponsored roundtable discussions about pending human rights issues such as rights in the military and the practices of human rights lawyers.

The one-hour discussion will take place in the School of Law’s Ceremonial Court Room, followed by a reception in the Atrium. The event is free and open to the public.

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