COMMUNIQUÉ
3rd DAY OF DETENTION
According to information circulated during the evening of Monday, 22 May, Mr. Jean-Yves NOEL, Director General of UCREF (Central Fiscal Research and Investigative Unit) was arrested in his offices and incarcerated in the National Penitentiary that same night.
The undersigned Civil Society organizations raise a formal protestation against this action, which in effect paralyzes an essential branch of the Administration in its efforts to battle corruption and money laundering. It is unacceptable that such an action could be mounted at precisely the moment when the country is attending the installation of a new government and, at the same time, when Justice has never once acted against any of the persons responsible for the crimes and offences revealed by UCREF?s investigations during this last period.
The signatories below require that clear and detailed explanations be provided for the arrest of the Director General of UCREF. Further, the undersigned demand that Mr. Jean-Yves NOEL be released immediately with all the requisite apologies.
Port-au-Prince, 23 May 2006
CEDH (Centre Oecuménique des Droit Humains) Ecumenical Center for Human Rights
FANM YOLA (Collectif Feminin Haitien pour la participation politique des Femmes) Haitian Women?s Collective for Political Participation by Women
ENFOFANM
La Fondation Héritage Pour Haiti ? Haitian Section for Transparency International.
GCC (Groupe des Citoyens Concernes) Group of Concerned Citizens
HSI (Haiti Solidarite Internationale) ? Haiti Solidarity International
IMED (Institute Mobile d?Education Democratiques) Mobile Institute for Democratic Education
MOUFHED (Mouvement des Femmes Haitiennes pour l?Education et le developpement) Haitian Women?s Movement for Education and Development
Bureau d?Appui Local de Developmement et Paix a Port-au-Prince ? Local Implementation Office for Development and Peace in Port-au-Prince.
RNDDH (Reseau National de Defense des Droits Humains) National Network for the Defense of Human Rights