In the news: where is the investigation into the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse?
Image of Haitian President Jovenel Moise during a tribute ceremony in Port-au-Prince on July 20, 2021. © AFP - VALERIE BAERISWYL
Text by: Stefanie Schüler Follow
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A month after Jovenel Moïse was killed at his home on the night of July 6-7, 2021, there is still no clear lead that emerges. 44 people were arrested after the assassination of the Haitian president. Among them 18 members of a Colombian commando team. Several police officers and presidential security officials are also behind bars.
"Arrest warrants were issued this week against two pastors and also two senior politicians: a former senator and the chairman of PHTK, Jovenel Moïse's party,"
writes the
Washington Post
. They claim to be victims of political persecution. None of those arrested have yet appeared before a judge.
What judge to investigate the
“case of the century”
in Haiti?
All eyes are now on the Port-au-Prince Court of First Instance. It is there that was transferred, this Wednesday only, the report of the investigation carried out by the judicial police and the prosecution of Port-au-Prince, recalls
Le National
.
The question that everyone is asking themselves today:
"who will be the judge in charge of investigating the case of the assassination of Jovenel Moïse?" "
The dean of the ICTY must make a decision shortly. The only thing is: several judges approached have already refused. They expressed fears for their safety. No wonder: the justice of the peace and his two clerks who had made the first observations at the scene of the tragedy received death threats and are now living in hiding. According to information from
Washington Post
, the dean of the Court of Port-au-Prince yesterday asked that
"armed guards be deployed to strengthen the security of judicial personnel, before the examining magistrate is chosen"
.
Haitian government calls for international investigation
Does the Haitian justice have the capacity to investigate the case of the assassination of the president and to judge those responsible?
The Haitian government visibly doubts it.
The Haitian Minister of Foreign Affairs has requested from the UN the opening of an international investigation as well as the establishment of a special tribunal.
This is what
Le Nouvelliste
reveals
today.
Claude Joseph highlights
"the weaknesses and the lack of experience of the Haitian judicial system in handling cases of such a scale which cast serious doubts on its ability to properly conduct this investigation, and to continue, judge. and condemn the perpetrators and accomplices in an exemplary manner ”
.
What political transition?
"The political class cannot agree on the choice of a provisional president,"
notes
Le National
.
"
Between Mirlande Manigat, Edgard Leblanc Fils and Joseph Lambert, political structures and civil society organizations are positioning themselves"
. A column published by
Alterpresse
maintains that in any case
"the search for a
Haitian
solution to our crisis (...) is not what the only choice of a new president tries to offer"
. There needs to be a
“disruptive transition”
.
And then, adds the Haitian writer Lyonel Trouillot in the columns of Le
Nouvelliste
,
"if there are any who claim a right to decide, like:" we are the politicians, it is up to us to lead "or" the policies have failed, it is now up to civil society to lead ”, they should be reminded that no one has acquired the right to anything, especially the right to pretend to lead. The transition has no claimant "
, still considers Lyonel Trouillot who concludes:
" The time has come to show modesty, spirit of sacrifice and democratic convictions, if not the decay to which the Jovenel madness has led us. Moïse / PHTK is likely to last a long time ”.
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Haiti
Jovenel Moses