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Fujimori Trial Opens in Peru


Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori has gone on trial to face human rights charges that could send him to prison for up to 30 years.

Mr. Fujimori's trial opened Monday in a police complex on the outskirts of Lima, where he has been held since his extradition from Chile in September. As the trial started, Mr. Fujimori angrily shouted that he was innocent of the charges, prompting one of the three Supreme Court judges hearing the case to call him to order.

The judges later canceled the rest of the day's proceedings after a court doctor said the 69-year-old Fujimori was suffering from symptoms of "chronic hypertension." The trial is scheduled to resume Wednesday.

The former president is accused of sanctioning the killing of 25 people by paramilitary squads during his presidency. Mr. Fujimori also faces corruption charges as well as accusations he authorized two kidnappings.

Mr. Fujimori left Peru in 2000 after 10 years in office. He spent five years in exile in Japan, his ancestral homeland, before flying to Chile to stage a political comeback. He was arrested soon after his arrival in Chile.

The Chilean Supreme Court eventually ruled that Mr. Fujimori be extradited to Peru to face the charges against him.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.

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