The Office of Citizen Protection (OPC), as an independent national institution for the promotion and protection of human rights, notes with interest the visit Tuesday at the National Penitentiary in Port-au-Prince, of the new Government Commissioner of Port-au-Prince, Me Francisco René, came to inquire about the situation of prisoners in the fight against prolonged pretrial detention.

Florence Elie, the Protector of Citizens recalls that in the framework of its mandate, the team of OPC daily visit the Penitentiary centers nationwide "the results of these visits is overwhelming, the living conditions prevailing in these detention facilities are abject and degrading and contrary to the Constitution of 1987 and several other international conventions ratified by Haiti.

Deep failures of the judicial system are responsible for the consequences of overcrowding. A too large number of individuals are detained arbitrarily or illegally, due to the inability of the judiciary to face its responsibilities."

This is especially true in the jurisdiction of Port-au-Prince, now under the leadership of Me Francisco René while on 3,952 inmates at the National Penitentiary, only 181 [4.6%], were tried and convicted.

OPC recalls that the Prison Administration only keep prisoners on behalf of the prosecution that engages the pursuit and close it, and de facto, therefore holds the keys to the prison under its control.

Florence Elie, the Protector of Citizens, has "faith" that this visit of Me Francisco René, "will know to sensitize the Government Commissioner on the obligation of result incumbent upon him. If these visits are a positive development, they are only a small step on the long road leading to the establishment of a genuine rule of law in our country."

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-9261-haiti-justice-me-francisco-rene-9th-government-commissioner.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-8898-haiti-justice-95-of-inmates-atnational-penitentiary-are-incarcerated-without-trial.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-8229-haiti-justice-7-188-persons-in-preventive-detention.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-8161-haiti-justice0-62-m2-per-prisoner-in-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-7840-haiti-justice-fight-against-pretrial-detention.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-4143-haiti-justice-a-justice-slow-and-inefficient.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-2703-haiti-justice-detention-a-slight-improvement.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-1669-haiti-justice-aberrations-of-the-haitian-judicial-system.html

HL/ HaitiLibre