The prosecution of the former dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier represents a landmark opportunity for the Haitian justice system to address some of the worst crimes in Haiti’s past. The 47-page report, “Haiti’s Rendezvous With History: The Case of Jean-Claude Duvalier,” examines the legal and practical questions surrounding the case and concludes that Haiti has an obligation under international law to investigate and prosecute the grave violations of human rights under Duvalier’s rule. The report also addresses Haiti’s capacity to carry out the trial, the question of the statute of limitations, and Duvalier’s personal involvement in alleged criminal acts.

Haiti should arrest and prosecute former dictator Jean‑Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier for grave violations of human rights. Jean‑Claude Duvalier was Haiti's "president for life" from 1971 to 1986, succeeding his father François "Papa Doc" Duvalier.

The United States has failed to comply with its obligations under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. Subjects detailed in the report include the failure of federal authorities to inform individual states of their obligations under the treaty, the discriminatory treatment of Haitian refugees by the US, and policies that have the effect of denying health care to many African-Americans with HIV/AIDS. In addition, the report presents new data collected by Human Rights Watch demonstrating that racial disparities in the sentencing of children to life in prison without possibility of parole are more pronounced than the US has acknowledged to date.

The Haitian government and the United Nations mission in Haiti must ensure that the long-awaited elections pave the way for political stability, Human Rights Watch said today.