A prominent leader of the indigenous Mapuche tribe has been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison in Chile.
Héctor Llaitul, the leader of the radical group Coordinadora Arauco-Malleco (CAM), was sentenced to 23 years in prison, a court in the southern Chilean city of Temuco ruled on Tuesday. He was accused of forcibly occupying land, theft and attacking authorities.
His lawyer said that she would appeal against the judgement.
Josefa Ainardi told the radio station Cooperativa that the majority of the prison term was based on criminal offences from the controversial law on state security, which was used against political opponents during the military dictatorship under General Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990) and has never been applied again since.
Members of the militant Mapuche group CAM have repeatedly carried out attacks on forestry operations in southern Chile, occupied land and engaged in clashes with the police. In recent years, the conflict has escalated and several people have been killed.
"Llaitul is the leader of a terrorist organization linked to the theft of timber as well as drug and arms trafficking," said Alejo Apraiz, president of the Association of Victims of Rural Violence.
Radical groups from the Mapuche indigenous people in southern Chile have been fighting for the return of their lands for decades.
For longer than almost any other indigenous people in Latin America, the Mapuche resisted the Spanish conquistadors and had an independent territory until well into the 19th century.