Contact B'nai B'rith

1120 20th Street NW, Suite 300N Washington, D.C. 20036

info@bnaibrith.org

202-857-6600

B’nai B’rith International strongly condemns the recent hate crime against a young gay Chilean man who is now in a coma and calls on local authorities to investigate this homophobic attack and ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.

B’nai B’rith also urges Chile to promptly pass the anti-discrimination legislation that has already been introduced in the Chilean Congress.

According to news reports, the victim was found with head trauma, a broken leg and swastikas drawn on his body. While the assailants have not yet been identified, reports indicate that investigators are looking into whether the attack was perpetrated by a neo-Nazi group.

“We hope Chilean authorities will use everything in their power to find and prosecute the assailants and bring justice to the victim of this awful, brutal attack,” said B’nai B’rith International President Allan J. Jacobs.

B’nai B’rith International Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin said: “We have long been a strong advocate for anti-discrimination and hate-crime legislation in the United States and internationally and hope the Chilean Congress will soon pass a much needed anti-discrimination law.”

In the United States, B’nai B’rith supported the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act that was passed in 2009 and will continue to speak out against discrimination and hate crimes worldwide.