Haiti Action Alert - Father Jean Juste Imprisoned

Haiti Action Committee
URGENT ACTION ALERT

Father JEAN-JUSTE seriously beat and abused at funeral for Jaques Roches and imprisoned since, July 21, 2005

Thursday morning, Father Gerard Jean-Juste went to St. Pierre Church in Petionville. He was part of a group of priests who were participating in the funeral service of well-known journalist and kidnap victim Jacques Roches.

While attending the service he was verbally and physically assaulted by members of the pro-coup Group 184. His attorney, Bill Quigley, who was with him at the time, said "they shoved him, spit on him, and cursed him. He was assaulted in the church while in full priest clothing."

Police then removed him from the service, ostensibly for his own protection. He was held and intermittently interrogated in the police station in Petionville for twelve hours. He was then placed in prison for alleged involvement in the murder of Jacques Roches.

We have very little information at this point regarding his well-being and legal status. It is clear, though, that this latest attack on Father Jean-Juste is an attempt by the coup regime and their patrons to accomplish the following objectives:

1. To silence one of Haiti's most outspoken, influential and popular progressive leaders prior to the sham elections.

2. To further justify the massive systematic repression of Haiti's poor by falsely scapegoating Lavalas for the kidnapping and murder of Jacques Roches.

3. To divert national and international attention away from the July 6 massacre by UN troops in Cite Soleil, as well as the ongoing human rights abuses perpetrated by the Haitian police and UN forces.

Now more than ever, Father Jean-Juste and the Haitian people need international support.

PLEASE FAX, CALL AND E-MAIL the following authorities and demand that they respect the life and liberty of Father Gerard Jean-Juste. Demand his immediate release from prison.

Condoleeza Rice State Department Main Switchboard: 202-647-4000 To send an email message to the Secretary of State go to: http://contact-us.state.gov/ask_form_cat/ask_form_secretary.html

James B. Foley Ambassador to Haiti phone: 011-509-222-0200, 222-0354, 222-0269, 222-0327 fax: 011-509-223-9038

Juan Gabriel Valdes Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General to Haiti phone: 011-509-244-9650 or 9660 fax 011-509 244 3512.

David Beer Commissioner of CIVPOL the UN Civilian Police in Haiti phone: 011-509-525-5279 email: beer@un.org fax: 011-509-244-9366.

UN Human rights officers: Mahamane Cissé-Gouro - cisse-gouro@un.org 011-509-403-4012 Thierry Fagart - fagart@un.org

Haiti's de facto "Minister of Justice" Me. Henri Dorléans Fax. No. 011-509-245-0474

For more information, contact: Haiti Action Committee (510 483-7481 or haitiaction@yahoo.com www.haitiaction.net