[rnddh-press] Report: Summer 2006 Criminal Trials

[RNDDH Info]

<< www.rnddh.org >>
Report


SUMMER 2006 CRIMINAL TRIALS: 

 

The judicial system reaches an important milestone in the fight against extended pre-trial detention

September 2006


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------





Numerous jurisdictions of the Republic designated July and August 2006 for the criminal trial sessions, both with and without jury assistance.  The Port-au-Prince jurisdiction was recognized for setting a record of the most cases processed during the sessions; more than eighty (80) cases were brought to judgment from 24 July to 6 September 2006.  This tremendous effort was collaborated on behalf of the Chief Judge of the Civil Courts of Port-au-Prince, Mr. Rock Cadet, along with the devotion of the magistrates and intern lawyers; the discipline of the court clerks and bailiffs; and the sense of duty by many juries members.  Many lessons were learned from these trials:  

 

I.                   Kidnappers : Judged and Convicted 

 

Since the launch of Operation Baghdad in September 2004, kidnappings have increased in Haiti, especially in Port-au-Prince.  People from all levels of society, including men, women, and children are being kidnapped, tortured, raped and assassinated; many are obligated to pay substantial ransoms for the return of their loved ones.  Frequently, presumed kidnappers arrested by the police are quickly released by either the judicial investigation offices under a waiver committal order, or from the Public Prosecution Office, or sometimes by the police officers themselves.  Until recently, the criminal court only processed one kidnapping case.  However, on 18 July 2005, the criminal court of Port-au-Prince judged Mr. Mathieu Pierre guilty of criminal conspiracy, kidnapping and illegal detention; he was condemned with a life sentence.  Considering the number kidnapping victims, the country has been waiting for this change in judicial procedure.  In May 2005, the transitional government reinforced the punishment on kidnappers and their accomplices, decreeing in the following article: 

 

"The first chapter, "Crimes and infractions against people"; from section II, "Crimes and infractions against individuals"; in Law No 4, "On crimes and infractions and their punishments" of the Penal Code was completed in section 5 bis titled "Kidnapping"...
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: /pipermail/rnddh-press_rnddh.org/attachments/20061109/eb406456/attachment-0001.html 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Summer 2006 Criminal Trials (english).pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 164581 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : /pipermail/rnddh-press_rnddh.org/attachments/20061109/eb406456/attachment-0001.pdf