Amnesty International Designates Fr. Jean-Juste Prisoner of Conscience

Doug and I will attempt to visit Fr. Jean-Juste today but we've been
told he's been
put in isolation so we may not be allowed to actually see him.
Obviously it's important for them to know internationals want to get
in to see him, so we'll harass the bureaucrats no matter how much they
stonewall us.

Today new smears against Jean-Juste are coming out of Haiti's
elite-controlled right wing media machine, with allegations that Fr.
Gerry was involved in "corruption" in Aristide's administration. As a
friend said today, though it was nothing like the gangster regime now
in office, for sure there was some corruption in the former
government, just like there is in the U.S.(anybody asked George W. how
Ken Lay is doing lately?), but many many in Aristide's administration
were not loyal to him and did not have his solidarity with the poor
majority of Haitians. As my friend pointed out, "inside of the Palace,
Aristide had more enemies than outside". Many of these opportunists
wound up having more loyalty to Washington's agenda than to
Aristide's.

The word is that there will be a demonstration in Cite Soleil
demanding Fr. Jean-Juste's release. We will be trying to get in to
speak to various prisoners elsewhere, so I don't know how close we'll
get to said demonstration. Given the fever pitch of demonization of
that neigborhood and support for extra-judicial executions among
elites pressuring the UN to "do more", it's not unlikely that the
"security" forces will crackdown in response.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: bill quigley <duprestars@yahoo.com>
Date: Jul 26, 2005 9:23 AM
Subject: [Lethaitilive] Amnesty International Designates Fr.
Jean-Juste Prisoner of Conscience
To: lethaitilive list <lethaitilive@lethaitilive.org>

Dear Friends:
Great news! Amnesty International has designated
Fr. Jean-Juste as a Prisoner of Conscience and asked
for international action to be brought. Here is their
report and request for action. Please follow up on
their requests for action! Peace, Bill Quigley

PUBLIC AI Index: AMR 36/008/2005
UA 195/05 Arbitrary arrest/prisoner of conscience
25 July 2005

http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAMR360082005?open&of=ENG-HTI

HAITI Gérard Jean-Juste (m), aged 59, Catholic priest

Catholic priest Gérard Jean-Juste was taken into
custody at a police station "for his own protection"
on 21 July, after he was assaulted, but while he was
at the police station he was accused of murder. He was
abroad at the time of the murder of which he has been
accused, but he is a prominent opponent of the
government. Amnesty International considers him a
prisoner of conscience, detained solely because he has
peacefully exercised his right to freedom of
_expression. He risks spending a long time in custody
awaiting trial on apparently trumped-up charges.

Rev. Jean-Juste has been an outspoken supporter of
former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide, and critic of
the present government, in his sermons and in radio
broadcasts. On 21 July he attended the funeral of
journalist Jacques Roche, at a church in the
Pétionville suburb of the capital, Port-au-Prince. He
was assaulted and threatened by a mob outside the
church, who said he was one of those responsible for
the violence that is sweeping the capital. He was
taken to Pétionville police station by officers from
the Haitian police and the UN civilian police force,
CIVPOL. None of his attackers is known to have been
detained.

At the police station, officer Jean-Daniel Ulysse,
from the Central Command of the Judicial Police
(Direction Centrale de la Police Judiciaire, DCPJ)
accused him of the murder of the journalist. Although
he was supposedly there simply for his own safety, he
was locked up in a cell at the police station with
another 43 detainees. The following day he was
transferred to the National Penitentiary, where he is
in solitary confinement. According to his lawyer, he
has reportedly been charged with the murder of Jacques
Roche. However, Rev. Jean-Juste and his lawyers were
not shown an arrest warrant or any other official
statement of the charges. He is one of dozens of
Aristide supporters who have been arbitrarily detained
in this way.

Journalist Jacques Roche was kidnapped on 10 July, and
murdered when the full ransom demanded was not paid.
Rev. Jean-Juste was in the United Sates at the time,
returning from Miami on 15 July.

Rev. Jean-Juste has been a target for government
repression for some time. On 13 October 2004, he was
arrested by police without a warrant at his church,
Saint Claire's, in Port-au-Prince. A warrant issued on
18 October accused him of "plotting against the
internal security of the state." He was released on 29
November, after six weeks in custody. When he flew in
from Miami on 15 July, he was stopped at
Port-au-Prince airport, searched and questioned. He
was ordered to present himself to the judicial police
on 18 July, and two days later he was questioned by
the investigating magistrate, regarding the accusation
leading to his October arrest.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was ousted on 29
February 2004, after an armed rebellion led by former
military officers took control of the whole country.
The same day, a US-led multinational force was
deployed in Haiti, authorised by the UN Security
Council. An interim government was put in place in
early March with Gérard Latortue sworn in as Prime
Minister. In June 2004, the UN Stabilisation Mission
in Haiti (MINUSTAH) was sent to assist the interim
government in securing the country, reforming the
national police and protecting human rights. Since
October 2004, the violence has escalated, particularly
in the capital, where armed gangs, some of which
allegedly have political affiliations to Aristide's
party, are responsible for numerous killings and grave
human rights abuses.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as
quickly as possible, in French, English or your own
language:

- expressing concern at the arrest and detention
without formal charges of Rev. Gérard Jean-Juste;

- pointing out that he appears to be a prisoner of
conscience, detained solely for the legitimate
_expression of his opinions, and urging the
authorities to release him immediately and
unconditionally;

- calling on the authorities to put an end to the
arbitrary detentions that are prevalent throughout
Haiti.

APPEALS TO:

Prime Minister
Gérard Latortue
Ministère de l'Intérieure, Villa d=Accueil, Delmas 60
Musseau, Port-au-Prince, HAITI (W.I.)
Fax: +509 298 3901
Salutation: Monsieur le Premier Ministre/Dear Prime
Minister

Minister of Justice and Public Security
Me. Henri Dorléans
Ministère de la Justice
19 Ave. Charles Sumner, Port-au-Prince, Haiti (W.I.)
Fax: +509 245 0474
Salutation: Monsieur le Ministre/Dear Mr. Dorléans

General Director of the Haiti National Police
Mario Andresol
Directeur Général de la Police Nationale d'Haïti
Grand Quartier Générale la Police
12 rue Oscar Pacot, Port-au-Prince, Haiti (W.I.)
Fax: +509 245 7374
Salutation: Monsieur le Ministre/Dear Mr. Andresol

COPIES TO:
Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General
Juan Gabriel Valdés
United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti
(MINUSTAH)
385, Ave. John Brown, Bourdon, B.P. 557,
Port-au-Prince, Haiti (W.I.)
Fax: +509 244 3512
Salutation: Monsieur le Représentant spécial/Dear
Special Representative Valdés

Head of Human Rights Division
Thierry Fagart
Human Rights Division, MINUSTAH
385, Ave. John Brown, Bourdon, B.P. 557
Port-au-Prince, Haiti (W.I.)
Fax: +509 244 9366
+509 244 9367

and to diplomatic representatives of Haiti accredited
to your country.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the
International Secretariat, or your section office, if
sending appeals after 5 September 2005.

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