Haiti: magistrates call for respect for the laws and the obligation of political neutrality of judges

Port-au-Prince, general view (illustrative image).

CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

In Haiti, associations of magistrates welcome the release of their colleague, Thursday evening February 11.

Judge Yvickel Dabrésil was arrested on February 7 and then jailed because, according to the executive power, he participated in an “attempted coup”.

Legal professionals call on the authorities to respect the laws and procedures but they also recall the obligation of political neutrality for judges.

Publicity

Read more

With our correspondent in Port-au-Prince

,

Amélie Baron

Haitian magistrates are careful not to give their opinion publicly on the alleged coup d'état denounced by the government, which the opposition calls a false scenario.

Like Master Jean Wliner Morin, they recall that a judge of the Court of Cassation can only be indicted by the High Court of Justice: “ 

No one is above the law, however we must the procedures in application and that is why the judiciary as a whole rose to say that the arrest of Judge Yvickel Dabrésil is not good.

 " 

Recall the order

But like the president of the Court of Cassation, Judge Morin wished to call his colleagues to order: “ 

Let all magistrates behave like magistrates.

we have duties of reserve;

a magistrate is not a political leader, a magistrate is not a political activist.

 "

This reminder targeted both Judge Dabrésil, who showed his opposition to Jovenel Moïse, and the three judges appointed by the Presidency on Friday, February 12, without respect for legal procedures, to the Court of Cassation. 

To read also: Haiti still in political turmoil, the judge accused of attempted coup released

Newsletter

Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_FR

  • Haiti

  • Justice

  • Jovenel Moses

On the same subject

Institutional blockage in Haiti: no body to rule

Haiti: the police repress a demonstration of opponents to the president

Journal of Haiti and the Americas

Haiti: the gap is widening between power and oppositions