SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) – Chile’s Supreme Court yesterday upheld the indictment and house arrest of General Augusto Pinochet for nine kidnappings and one homicide allegedly committed during his long dictatorship.

The court’s 3-2 vote cleared the way for Pinochet to be tried on the latest charges of human rights abuses during his 1973-90 regime.

“The sentence that has been appealed has been confirmed,” court secretary Carlos Meneses said, referring to Pinochet’s appeal.

Pinochet remained at his countryside residence west of Santiago, where he will remain under house arrest during the trial. He has been there recovering from a stroke he suffered in December.

The ruling prompted applause and cheers from gathered relatives of alleged victims of Pinochet’s regime.

“We are happy, the entire world is happy,” said Lorena Pizarro, president of an association of relatives of dissidents who were killed. “Pinochet cannot continue to live in impunity.”

A small group of Pinochet supporters shouted slogans interrupting Meneses’ announcement and were removed from the court by guards.

Pinochet’s chief lawyer, Pablo Rodriguez, said the house arrest of the former ruler “will be carried out as ordered by the court, but we will ask authorisation to transfer General Pinochet to a hospital in case of a new stroke.”

He insisted that “this ruling does not respect General Pinochet’s basic right to a just process.”