Reply #20: Amnesty International

[Cerridwen]

JEAN-CLAUDE DUVALIER MUST FACE JUSTICE FOR HAITI RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

Amnesty International's Haiti expert on the return of Jean-Claude Duvalier
Jean-Claude Duvalier was president of Haiti for 15 years, between 1971 and 1986

17 January 2011

Amnesty International today urged the Haitian authorities to bring former president Jean-Claude Duvalier – also known as 'Baby Doc' – to justice for human rights abuses committed during his regime in the 1970s and 80s.

“The widespread and systematic human rights violations committed in Haiti during Duvalier’s rule amount to crimes against humanity. Haiti is under the obligation to prosecute him and anyone else responsible for such crimes," said Javier Zuñiga, Special Advisor at Amnesty International.

Jean-Claude Duvalier returned to Haiti on 16 January after nearly 25 years in exile in France. He fled Haiti in 1986 after a popular uprising which was violently repressed by the former Haitian Armed Forces and a local militia known as the “tonton macoutes”.

Throughout his 15 years in power (1971-1986) systematic torture and other ill-treatment were widespread across Haiti. link