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Former Chilean policeman convicted of assault that left woman blind

A Chilean court on Thursday convicted a former special forces police captain of assault after a woman was blinded by a tear gas canister in late 2019, when the country was rocked by mass protests. .

The court found that former captain Patricio Maturana had committed “unlawful coercion resulting in serious and very serious injuries” to Fabiola Campillai, whose eyes were permanently damaged after being hit in the face by a police cartridge while waiting for the bus.

His sentence is set for October 10. The prosecution asked for a 12-year prison sentence.

The case has become one of the most notorious of the roughly 3,000 people who were injured during the often violent protests.

Last year, Campillai was elected senator.

Human rights organizations have criticized what they say was a heavy-handed police response to the protests, which also left 30 people dead.

Maturana was arrested by members of the police Human Rights Squad in August 2020.

Campillai and his family members are also suing the state for damages, seeking more than $2 million in damages.

Source: CNN Brasil

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