Haiti - Duvalier : Haitian justice must continue investigating
Nearly one month after the death of former President Jean Claude Duvalier (4 October 2014), the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) organized, in partnership with its member organizations in Haiti, the Network national Defence of Human Rights (RNDDH) and the Ecumenical Center for Human Rights (ECHR), a mission to assess the state of the judicial proceedings conducted by the Court of Appeal of Port au Prince on crimes against humanity committed under the regime of Jean Claude Duvalier.
"The legal process is in no way compromised by the death of Jean Claude Duvalier," declared Pierre Esperance, executive director of RNDDH and Secretary General of FIDH. "The process continues and is meant to target all top officials of the Duvalier regime which, alongside the former dictator, participated as perpetrators or accomplices, to the perpetration of forced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, torture and summary executions perpetrated between 1971 and 1986."
The historic decision rendered by the Court of Appeal in Port au Prince, February 20, 2014, paving the way for prosecution in Haitian courts against Jean Claude Duvalier and other responsible for the crimes committed under his regime, gave rise to renewed hope among the victims, who had taken legal action after the return to Haiti of Jean Claude Duvalier in January 2011.
"The investigating judge within the the Court of Appeal of Port au Prince to instruct this case must continue their investigation free from political interference," declared Karim Lahidji, FIDH President. "The Haitian authorities must support this process so that it can lead to a fair and impartial trial of the highest authorities of the Duvalier regime. It is also in the light of the success of this procedure, that will be measured Haiti's capacity to enroll in the rule of law and democracy."
