Daniel Zamudio was beaten in a Santiago square and died 25 days later Shock and outrage over the horrific killing of a gay Chilean man has the nation’s National Congress promising to speed up anti-discrimination laws. Murder charges are pending against four men who allegedly set upon 24-year-old Daniel Zamudio in a Santiago square on March 3. He died this week in hospital after 25 days in an induced coma. Pictures released by Zamudio's family show he was beaten in the head, burned with cigarettes and marked on his body with Nazi symbols and slogans. Some witnesses allege he was beaten for almost six hours. The prosecutor handling the case has told media three of the suspects have criminal records for "xenophobic and homophobic attacks". If found guilty the men face life in prison, which equates to a 40 year sentence. Chilean President Sebastian Pinera has tweeted, "His death will not go unpunished, and it reinforces the total commitment of the government against any arbitrary discrimination and for a more tolerant country." The Government has pledged to speed up consideration of a non-discrimination law proposed in Congress seven years ago. Vigils have been held to mark Zamudio’s death, outside the hospital where he died and in cities across Chile. "Daniel died from the hatred that some people have," the Director of Chile’s Gay Liberation Movement Jaime Parada has said. "He did nothing more than having a different sexual orientation.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Friday, 30th March 2012 - 10:25am