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PRESS RELEASE No. 21/03 |
At the invitation of the Government of Haiti, the Inter-American
Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) will make an on-site visit to Haiti,
from August 18 to 22, 2003 to observe the overall human rights situation
in the country, in particular with regard to the administration of
justice, impunity, and the rule of law.
The IACHR is a principal organ
of the Organization of American States (OAS), entrusted with the promotion
and protection of human rights throughout the Hemisphere. The seven
members of the Commission are elected in their personal capacity by the
OAS General Assembly for a four-year term.
The Commission’s terms of reference derive from the American
Convention on Human Rights and the OAS Charter, instruments ratified by
the Republic of Haiti. The
IACHR delegation will consist of Commissioner Marta Altolaguirre,
President of the IACHR; Commissioner Clare Kamau Roberts, Second Vice
President of the IACHR and Rapporteur for Haiti; Mario López Garelli,
Attorney and Senior Human Rights Specialist; and Bernard Duhaime, Attorney
and Human Rights Specialist.
During its stay in Haiti, the Commission will meet with the
highest-level government officials and with representatives of diverse
sectors of civil society, such as members of the legal community,
representatives of human rights organizations, etc.
While in Haiti, it will be
prepared to receive petitions from persons alleging that their human
rights have been violated. The
petitions must be presented in writing.
A sample form is available in the OAS office on impasse 4, Fraçois,
Musseau, Haití. During its
visit, the Commission will have an office in the Hotel Montana in Pétion-ville,
which will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from August 18 to 22, 2003.
At the end its visit, the
Commission will hold a press conference in the Hotel Montana, on Friday,
August 22, 2003. It will then
return to its headquarters in Washington, D.C., to evaluate its findings
and prepare a report on the human rights situation in Haiti.
The Commission is grateful for
the cooperation and the facilities provided by the Government of Haiti and
by nongovernmental organizations, civil society institutions, and
international organizations, including the OAS Special Mission, in the
preparation of its visit, and once again it expresses its full readiness
to cooperate with the democratic governments of the Hemisphere in
promoting and protecting human rights. Washington, D.C., August 15, 2003 |