UN says former Haitian PM jailed illegally

[struggle4progress]

May 4, 2005 — By Joseph Guyler Delva

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Reuters) - A top U.N. official in Haiti on Wednesday denounced the detention of former Prime Minister Yvon Neptune as illegal and the Organization of American States offered to help end what it called a standoff with serious moral implications.

Neptune, 58, has been jailed for over 10 months without appearing before a judge and began a hunger strike on April 17 that has left him dangerously weak. Haiti's constitution requires a hearing before a judge within 48 hours of arrest.

Former Haitian Interior Minister Jocelerme Privert has been jailed for over a year without being formally charged.

Thierry Fagart, chief of the Haiti U.N. mission's human rights division, cited both cases in delivering the United Nation's strongest criticism of Haiti's human rights record since the ouster of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide during a revolt in February 2004. <snip>

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=729420

[struggle4progress]

1. OAS Proposes Commission to Consider Case of Former Haitian Prime Minister

May 5, 2005

The Organization of American States is calling for the creation of a special commission to review the case of jailed former Haitian Prime Minister Yvon Neptune, who has been on a hunger strike for just over two weeks. <snip>

http://www.politinfo.com/articles/article_2005_05_5_4110.html