From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: AI Haiti: Fear of torture
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 06:02:11 GMT

/** reg.carib: 602.0 **/
** Topic: AI UA008/93 HAITI Fear of torture **
** Written  9:17 am  Jan 25, 1993 by caribdesk in cdp:reg.carib **
From: Bob Thomson <caribdesk>
Subject: AI UA008/93 HAITI Fear of torture

/* Written  8:57 pm  Jan 18, 1993 by lang@igc.apc.org in igc:misc.activism. */
/* ---------- "AI UA008/93 HAITI Fear of torture" ---------- */
/* Written  5:19 am  Jan 18, 1993 by hrcoord@igc.apc.org in igc:carnet.alerts */
/* ---------- "AI UA008/93 HAITI Fear of torture" ---------- */
/* Written  7:05 pm  Jan 12, 1993 by gn:rmitchellai in igc:ai.uan */
/* ---------- "AI UA008/93 HAITI Fear of torture" ---------- */
EXTERNAL (for general distribution) AI Index: AMR 36/01/93
                                    Distr: UA/SC       

UA 08/93     Legal concern/         12 January 1993
             Fear of torture

HAITI:       Joseph SAINT-FIRMIN (female)
             Raymond AMAZAN   
             Maxime HORACIUS
             Morpeau (second name unknown)
             and five others (names unknown to Amnesty International)

 Amnesty International is concerned at the reported arrest without
warrant of the above mentioned people in the town of Les Cayes, in
Haiti South department.  Amnesty International is also concerned at
reports that Raymond Amazan was beaten upon arrest by members of
the security forces and fears that he, as well as the others, may be
tortured while in detention.  Raymond Amazan was arrested and
ill-treated on two previous occasions (see UA 180/92 AMR 36/23/92,
1 June 1992 and follow up AMR 36/27/92, 12 June 1992).

Joseph Saint-Firmin is the mother of the local branch secretary of
Lavalas, the political movement that supported deposed President Jean
Bertrand Aristide. Her daughter is currently in hiding.  On 8 January
1993, members of the security forces arrived at her home looking for
her daughter.  The latter had apparently attended a commemorative
mass in memory of Jean- Claude Museau, a school teacher who died a
year earlier as a consequence of torture endured while in detention
(see AMR 36/03/92 Haiti: Human rights violations since the coup). 
The security forces reportedly searched the house and arrested Joseph
Saint-Firmin after she alleged not to know her daughter's whereabouts. 
She is reportedly detained in Les Cayes military barracks.  

The other above mentioned people are said to be supporters of
deposed president Jean-Bertrand Aristide.  They were reportedly
arrested on 11 January 1993 by members of the security forces and
accused of being "trouble-makers" (fauteurs de troubles) and of
opposing the partial elections for the Senate which the de facto
government is currently organizing.  It is not known where they are
being held.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Troops violently overthrew the democratically elected government of
President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who took office in Haiti on 7
February 1991, in a coup on the night of 29 to 30 September 1991. 
Since then Amnesty International has learned of widespread human
rights violations committed by the security forces, including a large
number of extrajudicial executions, torture and ill-treatment and mass
arrests without warrant. Several of those detained by the authorities
remain "disappeared".  These abuses have been carried out by
uniformed security force agents or, on some occasions, by men in
civilian clothes ostensibly linked to them. 

RECOMMENDED ACTION:  Please send telegrams/telexes/faxes and
airmail letters either in French, English or in your own language:

- expressing concern for the safety of Joseph Saint-Firmin, Raymond
Amazan, Maxime Horacius, Morpeau and other people arrested in Les
Cayes; 

- asking for clarification of where the eight men detainees are being
held; 

- urging that all the detainees be humanely treated and are given
immediate access to their families and lawyers and any appropriate
medical care; 

- asking that they be immediately brought before a judge and charged
with a recognizably criminal offence or released.

APPEALS TO

Prime Minister:

Marc BAZIN        
[Salutation: Monsieur le Premier Minister / Dear Prime Minister]
Premier Ministre  
Palais National
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Telegrams:  Premier Ministre BAZIN, Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Faxes:      + 509 34 1980, + 509 23 2121

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces:

Monsieur le General Raoul CEDRAS    
[Salutation: Monsieur le General/Dear General]
Commandant-en-Chef des Forces Armees d'Haiti
Grand Quartier General des Forces Armees d'Haiti
Rue Geffrard
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Telegrams:  Comandant-en-Chef des Armees d'Haiti Cedras,
Port-au-Prince,Haiti
Telephone:  +509 22 3935 
Telexes:    20391 gqfadh
Faxes:      +509 23 9007, 23 9407

Military Commander of the South department:

Monsieur le Colonel
[Salutation: Monsieur le Commandant/ Dear Commander]
Mondesir BEAUBRUN
Commandant du Departement Militaire du Sud  
Rue Mgr. Maurice
Les Cayes
Departement du Sud
Haiti
Telegrams:  Commadant du Departement du Sud BEAUBRUN, Les
Cayes, Haiti 

Chief of Les Cayes Police:

Monsieur le Chef de la Police des Cayes        
[Salutation: Monsieur le Chef de la Police/Dear Chief of Police]
Quartier General de la Police des Cayes
Departement du Sud
Haiti
Telegrams:  Chef, Police des Cayes, Les Cayes, Haiti

PLEASE SEND COPIES OF YOUR APPEALS TO:

Haiti en Marche (News weekly)
173 N.W. 94 St
Miami
FL 33150, USA

and to the diplomatic representative in your country - please see the
responses to this topic for details.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.  Please do not send
appeals after 23 February 1993. 
** End of text from cdp:reg.carib **

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