8112: Slavin: Re Avril Arrest (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: pslavin@unicefusa.org

Re Jean-Claude Bajeux's quotes about the Avril arrest, I have no doubt that 
Bajeux believes there is a clear and strong legal case to detain and put Avril 
on trial. That is an obvious point. But I suspect his quotes may have been 
based on a simple question: does a formal legal case exist against Avril?  And 
not the CCR's case, but a case based on Haitian jurisprudence.  Or is this 
arrest another bit of red meat for the country to divert attention from the 
never ending -- net --  economic and infrastructure crisis? Further, what 
message is the government sending when Avril is arrested at a Convergence 
Follies event? Were there other locations -- other than his residence -- where 
his arrest could have taken place where the risk of injury to police officers 
was minimal?

I hope there is a case that is prepared, or being prepared, that will lead to 
an Avril trial. The precedent of locking up Duvalierists
without a trial –– Claude Raymond and Ernest Bennett (who I hesitate to call a 
Duvalierist; hustler is more appropriate) –– which was established under the 
Prιval Presidency –– and no matter how savory the feeling of Bennett's 
detention is –– is a clear violation of human rights (I would be delighted to 
learn from the list if Raymond and Bennett had their day in court (not just 
having their respective cases' reviewed by the state within 48 hours of 
detention). As Churchill once said, if you want to judge a political system, go 
find out who it jails.

Patrick