Haiti Prison State: MINUSTAH admits 90% go without being charged

Stephen Puddicombe interviews MINUSTAH/Govt officials who admit that 90% of prisoners have not being charged. Hundreds of supporters of the ousted government have been jailed without being charged - clearly motivated by their political ideology.

n Tuesday, May 30, CBC Radio One’s weekday newsmagazine “The Current” carried a lengthy and very informative report on the situation of political prisoners in Haiti by correspondent Stephen Puddicombe. This report The Current May 30 and a previous report on President Préval’s inauguration that featured an interview with Patrick Elie The Current May 15.

uddicombe’s report consisted of facts and interviews of the situation of political prisoners and was very powerful. He began by explaining that ninety percent of prisoners in Haiti have no charges against them. The report broadcast interviews with the relatives of prisoners, denouncing the role of the U.S., Canada and France in the 2004 coup; the sounds of gunfire during the prisoner revolt on May 14; and interviews with one of Haiti’s renowned political prisoners, So-Anne Auguste, and Thierry Fagart, the representative in Haiti of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

“What makes the difference in Haiti,” said Puddicombe (compared to the human rights situation in other countries), “is that Canada is the largest donor country for Haiti. Many people fighting for the rights of prisoners and other rights in Haiti say that Canada is in a position to do make sure the rights of Haitians are guaranteed.”

Thierry Fagart told Puddicombe, “For us, there are no political prisoners, we never use this word,” with a tone of irony and a laugh. “In fact, you have people who have been arrested and prosecuted just because they were allies of President Aristide…They have a right to appear in court and to have a publicly observed trial.”

Puddicombe then went on to report that the ministry of justice is completely dysfunctional and entirely unresponsive to the situation of prisoners, quoting Fagart once more.


Listen at
http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/2006/200605/20060530.html