Thursday afternoon, Senator Kedlaire Augustin (PHTK) driving a gray Prado with tinted windows, without license plate was intercepted and arrested by Delmas police officers following a search for a similar vehicle suspected of being involved in several kidnappings.

The Parliamentarian affirms that although he identified himself, the police officers brutalized him at the time of his arrest "[...] They hit me on the chest and threw me to the ground" explaining that he had his hands tied behind his back and had difficulty breathing, saying it was "a political act."

Senator Augustin was subsequently taken to the police station at Delmas 33, and detained for a period of time before being released on a prosecution's instruction. The Senator claims to have been hit in the face during his transportation.

According to Commissioner Jean Gospel Monélus, head of the Delmas police station, the vehicle, in which the parliamentarian was on board, met the description of a vehicle which was allegedly involved in 9 kidnappings and which was actively sought.

After his release, Senator Kedlaire Augustin, who was suffering from pain, went to the Canapé Vert hospital to be examined, the results revealed no fractures, said Pierre Francois Sildor, President of the Senate.

Informed of this incident, former opposition senator Edmonde Supplice Beauzile, leader of the Social Democrats' Fusion Party (FUSION) said, "I sympathize with Senator Augustin. As a social democrat, I am against all attacks on life. No one is exempt from this active brutality. This will teach him to no longer bear ignorance in the management of the State which leads straight to forfeiture."

PI/ HaitiLibre