SANTIAGO, Jan. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- A Chilean Supreme Court judge said on Friday that he had rejected a request by families of the victims of Peruvian massacres to take part in the extradition process of former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori.

    Under Chile's penal code, only those requested by the state or the accused can appear in the court, said Orlando Alvareze, the Supreme Court judge handling the Fujimori case.

    Francisco Veloso, a member of Furjimori's defense team, welcomed the decision, saying "We understand that any external person, individual or lawyer who wanted to take part, is completely inappropriate."

    The preventative detention that Alvarez had decreed against Fujimori was made under the current law and had no effect on the guilt or innocence of his client, he added.

    Alvareze had ordered the former Peruvian president to remain under arrest, possibly for months, while the case is processed.

    Relatives of those killed in two incidents known as Barrios Altos and La Cantuta in 1991 and 1992, as well as their lawyers, on Thursday asked for permission to take part in the trial. Lawyers for the families said they would appeal to the Supreme Court.

    Elsewhere on Friday, Franscico Vidal, Chile's Interior Minister, banned Fujimori from campaigning for Peru's presidential elections, after learning Fujimori had registered as a candidate.

    The minister said, due to the extradition proceedings against him, Fujimori will not be allowed to sign documents or meet with party leaders. He added that he was not making judgments on whether Fujimori had rights to campaign legally, saying that must be determined by Peru.

    Fujimori, who ruled Peru from 1990 to 2000, has been indicted on more than 20 counts of corruption and human rights violations.

    He was arrested by Chilean police on Nov. 7 after arriving in the Chilean capital where he had planned to prepare for the Peruvian presidential election scheduled for April.

    He had been in exile in Japan since 2000 when he flew following the collapse of his government amid corruption allegations. Enditem