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| Former dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier retreated to a private residence north of Port-au-Prince after missing a flight out of the country on Thursday morning. (Ramon Espinosa/Associated Press) |
Friday, January 21, 2011
CBC News (Canada)
Haitian authorities will investigate former dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier for crimes against humanity allegedly committed under his 16-year rule, the country's top prosecutor said Friday.
Chief Magistrate Harycidas Auguste told CBC News Duvalier will face charges related to torture, imprisonment for political reasons and refusing freedom of expression. All of the crimes are alleged to have occurred during Duvalier's presidency from 1971 to 1986.
Amnesty International's researcher for Haiti, Gerardo Ducos, met Thursday with top Haitian justice officials, including Auguste and Justice Minister Paul Denis.
In a statement, Amnesty International said Ducos handed more than 100 documents "detailing dozens of cases of detention without trial, systematic torture, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions."
Duvalier, 59, already faces charges of embezzlement, misappropriation of funds and theft amid accusations he siphoned up to $300 million from federal coffers into his personal bank accounts.
On Thursday, he met with Auguste and Judge Carves Jean, the investigating judge in his case.
Haitian Montrealers urged to come forward
Haitian human rights lawyer Mario Joseph said Friday the only way to make the charges against Duvalier stick is for members of the Haitian diaspora to file complaints against him.
"We need people to mobilize, not only the Canadian diaspora but ... progressive Canadian people to mobilize to judge Duvalier," Joseph said.
Joseph has been gathering stories from Haitians who say they were tortured and abused by the Tontons Macoutes, the secret police force established by Duvalier's father and predecessor, François Duvalier, and used by both.
"It's a chance for the victims," Joseph said a day earlier. "It's … time for Jean-Claude Duvalier to be judged."
Haitian-born Franz Voltaire told CBC News he was arrested and jailed by the Tontons Macoutes before being expelled to Montreal.
"They don't give you a specific reason, just tell me ... I had too many contacts with the opposition," Voltaire said.
Reasons for staying unclear
Duvalier had been booked on a flight to leave the capital, Port-au-Prince, on Thursday morning, but missed it. Instead, he slipped out the back of his hotel and was driven to a private home on a mountain above Port-au-Prince.
The reasons for his prolonged stay remain as murky as his motivation for coming back in the first place, but advisers and confidants cite two primary motivations: the lack of a valid passport and the ongoing court investigation against him on allegations of corruption and human rights abuses during his reign.
As his scheduled flight took off he was still in the international-style hotel in Petionville, where he had stayed in a standard room. After a group lunch on its covered patio restaurant his girlfriend, Veronique Roy, walked to a waiting car at the hotel's main door to draw off most of the press while he was shepherded to a separate car behind the compound on a concrete loading dock.
Defence attorney Reynold Georges told reporters earlier in the day that he couldn't speculate how long the ex-dictator would stay in Haiti, but that it would take at least two weeks to resolve the legal cases filed against him.
"He will have to answer that question himself but for now, we're here," Georges said.
Asked if Duvalier had been invited to Haiti by anyone in the government, the attorney said not to his knowledge. "It's his country. He doesn't need an invitation."
Duvalier flew into Port-au-Prince on Sunday after 25 years in exile; he left Haiti in 1986 during a popular rebellion.
With files from The Associated Press
7 comments:
ah kwack xen will be next...
khmers
Keep barking, dude, for your boss, Hun Sen.
Are you gonna built his sculpture like Oum Yen Tieng did?
Most people from the US bring money to bribe Hun Sen to get rank and have young girls, left their wife and children behind never care about child support and YOU ARE ONE OF THEM, SCUM
Sam Raing Sy, Mou Sochua, Mom Sa Nong do, Rong Chhun and other Sam Raing sy are sacrifice their live to protect our home land for us and our children (Unless you are Yourn)
They are not like you who care only about Land cruiser, villa, $$$$$$ and young pussies.
We can't compare the Cambodian with the Haitian situation, because both countries have a big different infrastructure, geographical, cultural, political, historical & economical background.
12:33 PM
Yes Mrs. Mu Sochua, Mam Sonando and Rong Chhun and the poor Khmer people live at the border to Vietnam are sacrifice their life to protect our home Land and the Khmer people.
But not agree, that Mr. Sam Raingsy also sacrificed his life to protect the Khmer people and our country. When he had problem with the authority in Cambodia, he just run away. He let the poor Khmer people alone to fight for their right with the Cambodian authority .
All dictators in the end must face justice, even you are no longer living on earth. Dictator Hun Sen of Cambodia has to face justice sooner or later.
KHMER Angkor.
Why there are often news from Montreal? Is KI-Media directed by SRP supporters in Montreal?
Hi, I'm Mike, I'm a dumbass. I don't know what I'm saying because I'm very stupid. thank you, Mike.
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