Friday, August 28, 2009

Haiti: Calls Mount to Free Lavalas Activist

By Wadner Pierre and Jeb Sprague

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Aug 20, 2009 (IPS) - Government authorities in Haiti face recent criticism over allegations that they continue to jail political dissidents.

On Aug. 7, Amnesty International called for the release of Ronald Dauphin, a Haitian political prisoner. Dauphin is an activist with the Fanmi Lavalas movement of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. He was seized by armed paramilitaries on Mar. 1, 2004 - the day after Aristide's government was ousted in a coup d'état.