Politics
Haiti: Human Rights groups applaud appelate court’s decision to open new investigations into Duvalier
The court has appointed one of its sitting judges to further investigate the allegations, who has apparently been tasked with obtaining new testimony from victims who did not have the chance to testify during last year’s appeals hearings.
“The Court of Appeal has correctly ruled that there can be no statute of limitations for crimes against humanity, and this is a major step forward for the Haitian justice system,” Zúñiga said.
Although victims appealed against the 2012 ruling and Jean-Claude Duvalier himself appeared before the court last year, the judicial process had been stalled since last May.
Amnesty International and other human rights organizations denounced last January that the “lack of political will and unacceptable court delays” were allowing Duvalier to escape justice.
Haitian authorities re-opened a criminal case against Duvalier shortly after he returned to the country on January 16, 2011, following a 25-year exile in France. He faced charges of serious human rights violations such as murder and torture of political opponents, and of corruption. Duvalier, also known as “Baby Doc,” inherited power from his father, François Duvalier, and ruled Haiti from 1971 to 1986. -(CMC)
