During the months of September and October 2010, the National Network for the Defence of Human Rights (RNDDH), conducted a study in twelve of the fourteen functional prisons in Haiti, on, inter alia, the legal situation of prisoners.

The report says that the legal situation of prisoners, is and remains a constant concern. For several years, numerous committees have been created to eradicate the problem of prolonged pretrial detention. All work was unsuccessful, even today, most people are in jail awaiting trial, this, since 2006 to see since 2004 for some.

Out of a total of 5.601 inmates identified at October 25, 2010, 1.384 are convicts against 4.217 in custody (preventive detention).

But more importantly, the people judged and condemned are sent in detention without any notification, which means that the prison administration is not officially made aware of the term of their sentence. Only 12% of condemnation recorded by RNDDH were notified to the prison authorities. For example, at the Civil Prison of Saint-Marc on 105 condemnations recorded, only 15 were meant. This leaves the door open to indefinite detention may greatly exceed the sentence which the prisoner was sentenced.

The study indicates that the majority of these cases of detention, are not related to crimes, but to mere misdemeanors that could be a direct quote in corrections. However, these persons are in prison and their cases are transferred to the Offices of instruction without any distinction of crime.

S/ HaitiLibre