Tuesday in his speech on Haiti, at the 38th session of the Human Rights Council held in Geneva at the Palais des Nations (18 June to 6 July) Me Renan Hedouville, Protector of the Citizen insisted on the precarious economic conditions of the Haitian population and drew the attention of the Council to the problem of prolonged pretrial detention.

Extract from the speech Me Renan Hedouville :

"[...] While significant progress has been made in the area of ​​civil and political rights, it must be recognized that the implementation of the provisions on economic, social and cultural rights remains a major concern of all human rights defenders.

The Office of Citizen Protection (OPC) believes that urgent measures must be adopted to ensure a minimum level of social welfare for people in vulnerable situations. The precariousness of economic conditions, the lack of access to basic social services are all elements that contribute to the phenomenon of insecurity, which puts in question the right to the security of citizens.

The OPC welcomes the implementation of the reform plan of the National Police of Haiti (PNH) which takes into account the application of the fundamental rules by the police. However, the Office regrets that no effective measure has so far been adopted to incapacitate bandits who create a climate of terror in several parts of the capital.

[...] The Office of Citizen Protection believes it is appropriate to draw the Council's attention to the problem of prolonged pretrial detention. This situation is largely the result of the laxity and nonchalance of the magistrates, added to the phenomenon of corruption instituted system, not to mention the lack of a real mechanism of control and judicial inspection.

The conditions of detention are alarming and do not respect the UN minimum rules for the treatment of detainees. These conditions are treated as cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, leading in some prisoners to blindness, paralysis and psychiatric or psychic disorders.

The Office of the Protection of the Citizen takes note of the will of the Government of Haiti to grant him progressively the means necessary to face certain urgent needs [...]"

HL/ HaitiLibre