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El Ciudadano

Original article: Denuncian persecución judicial y vigilancia policial contra abogada Karina Riquelme mientras representa a familia de Julia Chuñil

Social organizations and academics are raising concerns about human rights lawyer Karina Riquelme Viveros, well-known for her advocacy related to Mapuche communities and state violence, who is facing judicial persecution and police surveillance following the initiation of a criminal investigation against her.

According to reports from Interferencia.cl, the inquiry addresses a alleged crime of «breach of procedural confidentiality» stemming from statements she made to the media as part of her legal representation for the family of Julia Chuñil Catricura.

The 72-year-old Mapuche leader was last seen on November 8, 2024, near the «Cora Número Uno-A Reserve» in the Máfil commune of the Los Ríos Region, and Riquelme has taken on the legal representation of her family amid an ongoing search that has yet to yield answers.

The investigation began in October 2025 and was initiated by Los Ríos prosecutor, Tatiana Esquivel, who is the opposing party in the Chuñil legal case.

Lawyer Rodrigo Pizarro Rosales, who acts as Riquelme’s legal representative, stated that they are currently exploring all alternatives to uphold the right to defense.

“In connection with the ongoing investigation regarding an alleged breach of secrecy in an inquiry, and to also request a statement concerning the surveillance she has faced from the police—which involved being photographed in public while performing her duties as a lawyer,” he told Interferencia.

Pizarro added that they have made administrative efforts with the Public Ministry to access the details of the case, but have encountered “groundless obstacles”.

Persecution, Criminalization, and Harassment

This new case has faced immediate backlash from organizations and academics who describe it as yet another episode of persecution targeting a professional who has litigated in highly politically sensitive cases for over a decade.

Myrna Villegas Díaz, a professor in the Criminal Sciences Department at the University of Chile, cautioned that the process “could undermine essential guarantees for democratic functioning.”

She warned that prosecuting a defender for public comments in high-impact cases like that of Chuñil poses a risk of chilling effect for the entire legal community, affecting due process and access to justice “not just for this professional, but for all those who provide legal defense in sensitive cases.”

The international organization Front Line Defenders, based in Dublin, Ireland, expressed concern about the vulnerable situation activists face in the country.

“The situation of human rights and environmental defenders in Chile is alarming. Instances of criminalization, harassment, and threats create an environment of significant vulnerability,” stated Julia Lima, the Protection Coordinator for the Americas.

In her view, “the attempt to criminalize Karina Riquelme is an assault on the defense of rights in the country.”

History of Police Surveillance

This new case is not an isolated incident. In 2023, police intelligence reports revealed surveillance of Riquelme and lawyer Patricia Cuevas near the Río Bueno Court of Letters and Guarantees, documenting vehicle markings, license plates, and movements identified as subjects of interest.

Similar reports date back to 2010 and also during the so-called Operation Huracán—where Mapuche leaders were falsely accused with planted evidence—Riquelme reported surveillance by plainclothes agents, laser lights directed at her home, and phone tapping under the Intelligence Law. In 2016, the Supreme Court accepted a writ of protection and ordered the safeguarding of the free professional exercise of the lawyer, acknowledging that police surveillance constituted an illegitimate disturbance.

Global Witness, an international NGO based in London, also raised alarms about the persecution against Riquelme. “We are aware of the valuable work that Karina Riquelme does representing the Chuñil family. Global Witness is concerned about the rising criminalization of lawyers aimed at obstructing their work representing victims,” emphasized Javier Garate, the senior advisor of the organization, as reported by Interferencia.

Finally, defender Rodrigo Pizarros warned that these repeated events demonstrate an alarming systematic pattern of surveillance and criminalization against lawyers like Karina Riquelme who litigate in southern Chile on issues related to state violence, territorial conflicts, and the rights of Mapuche communities.

La entrada Allegations of Judicial Persecution and Police Surveillance Against Lawyer Karina Riquelme Amid Representation of Julia Chuñil’s Family se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.