A/HRC/12/10 Page 3 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007, held its fifth session from 4 to 15 May 2009. The review of Chile was held at the 9th meeting, on 8 May 2009. The delegation of Chile was headed by H.E. José Antonio Viera Gallo, Minister and Secretary-General of the Presidency of Chile. At its 13th meeting, held on 12 May 2009, the Working Group adopted the present report on Chile. 2. On 8 September 2008, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Chile: Cuba, Qatar and Senegal. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to resolution 5/1, the following documents were issued for the review of Chile: (a) A national report submitted in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/5/CHL/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/5/CHL/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/5/CHL/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Argentina, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was transmitted to Chile through the troika. These questions are available on the extranet of the UPR. I. SUMMARY OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE REVIEW PROCESS A. Presentation by the State under review 5. At the 9th meeting, on 8 May 2009, José Antonio Viera Gallo, Minister and SecretaryGeneral of the Presidency of Chile, introduced the national report. He noted that in 1990, Chile embarked upon the reconstruction of a democratic system based on respect for fundamental freedoms and human rights - civil, political, economic, social and cultural - valuing their universality, indivisibility and interdependence. Accordingly, it adopted a policy aimed at balancing economic growth and human development, providing a fruitful equilibrium between market and State. 6. Simultaneously, Chile set off the search for truth, justice and reparation with regard to the massive and systematic human rights violations perpetrated during a dictatorship which lasted for 17 years. 7. A thorough modernization of the judicial system was carried out, including reform of the penal process, juvenile justice, the family courts and labour law, and a prison system improvement project. A draft of a new Code of Military Justice is being prepared. 8. Other significant reforms are the abolishment of the death penalty in the Penal Code and in the Code of Military Justice in times of peace, norms on freedom of expression, the new law