Chile to return Fujimori to Peru

SANTIAGO, Chile, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- Chile's Supreme Court voted Friday to return former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori to Peru where he faces corruption and human rights charges.

The date for the return of Fujimori, who is under house arrest in Chile, wasn't announced, El Mercurio newspaper reported online Friday.

Human rights groups praised Chile's decision to send Fujimori to Peru.

"There is nothing comparable to this in modern history," said Jose Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch. "In this case a local (Chilean) court used domestic law to grant the extradition of a former head of state for human rights abuses."

Fujimori is accused of ordering the deaths of numerous political opponents and stealing from state coffers during his 10-year tenure as Peru's leader, which ended in 2000 with his flight to Japan.