The British activist Joan Jara, human rights defender and widow of the Chilean singer-songwriter Víctor Jara who was murdered under the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet, died on Sunday (11/12/2023) at the age of 96, the Víctor Jara Foundation reported.
“We regret to inform that our dear and beloved Joan Jara, at the age of 96, passed away today, November 12 at 5:30 p.m.,” the organization indicated on its social networks.
The renowned dancer “will be held in honor this Monday at noon in Santiago,” the foundation added.
After the death of Víctor Jara in 1973, the artist went into exile to the United Kingdom with her two daughters and returned to Chile in the mid-80s. Since the arrest, torture and murder of the musician and theater director, she became a tireless fighter for truth, justice and human rights.
Joan Jara, nationalized Chilean in 2009, was active in denouncing the civil-military dictatorship and human rights violations.
She never stopped seeking truth and justice in relation to her husband. Jara was recognized by the Chilean Academy of Fine Arts for her contribution throughout her career in the development of dance, and in 2021 she was awarded the National Prize for Performing and Audiovisual Arts of Chile.
Last October, former Chilean military officer Pedro Pablo Barrientos, accused of torturing and murdering Víctor Jara, was arrested in Florida, in the southeast of the United States, and is expected to be extradited to Chile, where justice has been demanding him since 2013.
gs (afp, emol)
