EXTERNAL (for general distribution) AI Index: AMR 36/53/92
Distr: UA/SC
UA 372/92 Fear for safety/ 27 November 1992
Possible extrajudicial execution
HAITI Justin BRÉZIL, aged 29
Wesner LUC, aged 20
Amnesty International is concerned for the safety of Justin Brézil, reportedly
abducted on 22 November 1992 in Port-au-Prince together with Wesner Luc. Amnesty
International is also concerned that Wesner Luc, found dead the following day, may
have been extrajudicially executed.
Justin Brézil and Wesner Luc, active members of Comité National des Congrès des
Mouvements Démocratiques (KONAKOM), National Committee of Congress of Democratic
Movements, were reportedly abducted on 22 November at about 1pm by three heavily
armed men, who drove them away in a jeep. On 23 November the bullet-ridden body
of Wesner Luc was reportedly found in a road north of Port-au-Prince. Amnesty
International believes that his killing may have been an extrajudicial execution
carried out by members of the security forces or those working with them.
No news as to the whereabouts of Justin Brézil have emerged and Amnesty International
is concerned for his safety.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Troops violently overthrew the democratically elected government of President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who took office in Haiti on 7 February 1991, in a coup on
the night of 29 to 30 September. Since then Amnesty International has learned of
widespread human rights violations committed by the security forces, including a
large number of extrajudicial executions, torture and ill-treatment and mass arrests
without warrant. Several of those detained by the authorities remain "disappeared",
carried out against supporters and those perceived to be supporters of the ousted
president. These abuses have been carried out by uniformed security force agents
or, on some occasions, by men in civilian clothes ostensibly linked to them (see
Haiti: Human Rights Held to Ransom, AI Index: AMR 36/41/92, August 1992). On 19
June 1992 a new prime minister, Marc Bazin was sworn in. Several days before he
took office, he pledged before the Haitian senate to "stop repression and restore
freedom of the press". However, Amnesty International is continuing to receive
reports of widespread human rights violations.
Since the 1991 coup members of KONAKOM have been the target of threats and intimidation.
On 3 September 1992 Marcel Fleurzile, peasant leader and member of KONAKOM, was
reportedly killed by unidentified men and his body found in Port-au-Prince near the
KONAKOM offices (see UA 289/92, AMR 36/47/92 of 11 September 1992).
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