Haiti - Justice : Duvalier a complex case to judge
Thursday, after the hearing of former President Jean-Claude Duvalier before the Court of Appeal of Port-au-Prince, Reed Brody, legal advisor and spokesperson for Human Rights Watch declared "...politically it's always easier to let pass these things, even if Martelly is on the side of Duvalier [...] the President always talked about reconciliation, raised the possibility of grant amnesty to Duvalier, it is difficult [to judge] because the justice system is very weak [...] and hat these acts were perpetrated there 25, 30 see 35 years.
I worked on this case, I was called by the former government of René Préval to help build the case and I can say, that even if there is evidence of the personal involvement of Jean-Claude Duvalier, this is a country where there is little or almost no documents that establish the link, therefore it is a complex case to judge of crimes committed 25 years ago [...]
If someone like Duvalier is not judged, how will we judge someone who has stolen a chicken to feed his family ? How to create a rule of law, when the one who is accused of the worst crimes remain unpunished ? But it is also very important for the world, Haiti has always been an exception, it is also interesting to see that large countries such as France and the United States have never requested that Duvalier is tried, because there is a contempt for Haiti. Haiti has no right to justice, it is already well if Haiti eat a little, if the population has a shelter... there is no relationship between the lack of justice for the vast majority and the lack of social justice too..."
Remember that after a hearing of nearly five hours, the judges of the Court of Appeal decided to adjourn the session and to postpone the continuation of the hearing of former President Duvalier at Thursday, March 7, 2013.
