On 29 March 1996, journalists Jean-Marie Mayard and Augustin Frantz were detained briefly by police in the city of Saint-Marc, north of Port-au-Prince. The journalists, who work for Radio Magik FM and Radio Caraibes, respectively, were held for four hours at the city’s police station. The two were also reportedly assaulted by the police. The […]
On 29 March 1996, journalists Jean-Marie Mayard and Augustin
Frantz were detained briefly by police in the city of Saint-Marc,
north of Port-au-Prince. The journalists, who work for Radio
Magik FM and Radio Caraibes, respectively, were held for four
hours at the city’s police station. The two were also reportedly
assaulted by the police. The journalists were investigating an
incident involving a bus driver and police. They were arrested
after having refused to hand over their tape recorders. Both
Mayard and Frantz were released after a justice of the peace
intervened on their behalf.
In early March, police from Petion-Ville, a suburb of Port-au-
Prince, issued threats against Liliane Pierre Paul, co-director
of Radio Kiskeya, and Francois Jr. Rotchild, a reporter for Radio
Metropole. The stations had broadcast the protests made by human
rights organizations against police over a 7 March confrontation
in Cite-Soleil between police and a group known as the “Red
Army.” Seven people died during the confrontation.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
part of Haitian police, pointing out that such incidents
constitute a serious infringement of press freedom
of Jean-Marie Mayard and Augustin Frantz
Haiti practise their profession free from danger
Appeals To
His Excellency Rene Preval
President
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
(in Canada)
care of the Embassy of the Republic of Haiti
112 Kent St., suite 212
Place de Ville
Tower B
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 5P2 Canada
Fax: +1 613 238 2986
Please copy appeals to the originator if possible.
