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Haiti: Duvalier to appear in court
Jean-Claude Duvalier
Former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier is scheduled to appear court on Thursday where it will be determined if he should face trial on embezzlement and human rights allegations.
But his lawyer, Reynold Georges, told reporters on Wednesday that the former president would prefer not to do so on the anniversary of his fall from power and flight into exile 27 years ago.
“He wants the date to be changed,” said Georges, who plans to reiterate Duvalier’s written request for a postponement at the hearing.
“A lot of organizations and human rights people are saying, a bunch of ‘blah, blah,’ that if the court chooses that date, it’s because they want to throw out all the charges against him,” he added.
“We have nothing to hide,” Georges continued. “He will be cleared.”
Two years ago, to the surprise of many, Duvalier returned to his impoverished homeland after 25 years in exile in France.
Shortly afterwards, prosecutors re-opened a corruption case against him and dozens of victims from his regime brought human rights complaints against him.
