From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord@igc.apc.org>
Newsgroups: soc.rights.human
Date: 26 Jan 93 18:26 PST
Subject: AI UA018/93 HAITI Ill-treatment
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1476701052:000:6834
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!hrcoord    Jan 26 18:26:00 1993


/* Written  6:15 pm  Jan 26, 1993 by gn:rmitchellai in igc:ai.uan */
/* ---------- "AI UA018/93 HAITI Ill-treatment" ---------- */
EXTERNAL (for general distribution) AI Index: AMR 36/03/93
                                    Distr: UA/SC       
 
UA 18/93    Ill-treatment/                     26 January 1993
            Legal Concern
 
HAITI:      Jean EMILE
            Direct JEAN-BAPTISTE, aged 30
 
 Amnesty International is concerned at two recent separate incidents of
severe ill-treatment reportedly carried out by members of the armed
forces in the Marchand Dessalines locality of the Artibonite
department.  
 
Jean Emile was reportedly arrested on 22 January 1993 in the village
of Pont Joux, 3rd Section of Marchand Dessalines, following an
argument with the local chef de section (rural police chief).  He was
taken to the home of the chef de section where he was severely
beaten.  Leaflets with the name of former President Aristide, ousted in
a violent coup in September 1991, were reportedly planted on Jean
Emile.  He was subsequently accused of being a supporter of President
Aristide and of Lavalas, the political movement which supported the
deposed President.  He was taken to the prison of Marchand
Dessalines, reportedly in a bad physical condition as a result of the
beatings. On 23 January he was bound hand and foot, with his hands
behind his back and taken by members of the armed forces to the St
Marc prison, without having been brought before a Justice of the
Peace in Marchand Dessalines, as required by law.   Amnesty
International is concerned about his state of health and that he may
suffer further ill- treatment at St Marc.
 
Direct Jean-Baptiste was reportedly detained on 20 January 1993 in
the town of L'Estere, near Marchand Dessalines when he refused to
hand over his driving licence, after being stopped by a member of the
armed forces.    He was taken to the military barracks where he was
beaten severely.  His testicles were crushed by several soldiers using
their hands.  He was given blows to his stomach with a club and when
he tried to stop the blows to the stomach he was slapped about the
face with extreme violence.  On one occasion he was slapped on the
eyes, which are now severely blood-shot.   His face is also swollen as
a result of the beatings he received.  He was released the same day.  
 
Prior to this, on 15 January 1993, Direct Jean-Baptiste was stopped by
a member of the armed forces in L'Estere and his driving licence was
confiscated.  He travels every day between Dessalines and L'Estere. 
On 19 January he went to the local barracks in L'Estere and asked for
the return of his licence.  The army demanded the sum of 90 Haitian
dollars.  He refused to pay so much and it was agreed he would pay
50 dollars.  It is reported that the military barracks at l'Estere are
noted for extorting money from drivers using the pretext of supposed
traffic offenses.   It was for this reason that he reportedly refused to
hand over his driving licence a second time when stopped the
following day.  
 
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. 
 
Victims have included those supporting or suspected of being
supporters of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.  An Amnesty
International delegation which visited Haiti in March 1992 also found
extensive evidence of widespread arbitrary abuse by the security forces
against the civilian population, including extortion by members of the
armed forces or civilians working with their connivance.  The
delegation learned of many cases where members of the security forces
and those working with them would force people to give them sums of
money to prevent them being detained; of if detained, to prevent or
reduce the severity of beatings or to secure their release. (See Haiti:
Human Rights Held to Ransom, AI Index: AMR 36/41/92 of August
1992)
 
RECOMMENDED ACTION:  Please send
telegrams/telexes/faxes/express and airmail letters either in French,
English or in your own language: 
 
- expressing concern at the reported detention and subsequent
ill-treatment of Jean Emile and Direct Jean-Baptiste;
 
- asking for an investigation into the reported ill-treatment in military
custody of both men and that those found responsible be brought to
justice;
 
- asking that Jean Emile be treated humanely in custody;
 
- asking also that he be given access to adequate medical treatment in
custody as well as access to legal representation and to his family;
 
- asking also that unless charged with a criminally recognizable offence
that he be 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 Commandant-en-Chef/Dear Commander-in-Chief]
Commandant-en-Chef des Forces Armees d'Haiti
Grand Quartier General des Forces Armees d'Haiti
Rue Geffrard
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Telegrams: Commandant-en-Chef des Armees d'Haiti Cedras,
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Telephone: + 509 22 3935 
Telexes:   20391 gqfadh
Faxes:     + 509 23 9007, + 509 23 9407
 
Minister of Justice:
 
Maitre Moise SENATUS
[Salutation: Monsieur Ministre / Dear Minister]
Ministre de la Justice
Ministere de la Justice
Cite de l'Exposition
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Telegrams: Ministre de la Justice Senatus, Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Telephone: + 509 45-0474, + 509 45-1626
Telexes:   20166 Justice
 
PLEASE SEND COPIES OF YOUR APPEALS TO one or more of
the following:
 
Commander of the Artibonite Military Base:
 
Monsieur le Commandant du Departement Militaire de l'Artibonite
Rue Lamartiniere 
Gonaives, Departement de l'Artibonite
Haiti
 
Prison Director - St Marc Prison:
 
Monsieur le Directeur
Prison St Marc
St Marc, Departement de l'Artibonite
Haiti
 
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 9 March 1993.