ARTICLE - BELIZAIRE ARRESTED AT AIRPORT

DEPUTY ARNEL BELIZAIRE ARRESTED WHILE UNDER PARLIAMENTARY IMMUNITY
(Defend Haiti) - By Samuel Maxime

PORT-AU-PRINCE - Deputy Arnel Bélizaire (Delmas & Tabarre/Veye-Yo) was arrested by police and taken to the National Penitentiary on Thursday upon his return from Paris, France and while still under parliamentary immunity.

With an arrest warrant from the Central Directorate of the Judicial Police (DCPJ), police awaited the return of Deputy Bélizaire with the support of soldiers from the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH).

The Air Caraibes plane landed at 5h30PM at Toussaint Louverture International Airport on Thursday. The police delivered a warrant to MP Belizaire before taking him away.

A convoy of parliamentarians, supporters, non-supporters and on-lookers were present at the airport for the event. Access was forbidden to parliamentarians who had made the trip to come support Mr. Belizaire. Even the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Sorel Jacinthe (Moron & Chamberllan/Inite), was kept from entering the airport.

Some Bélizaire supporters hurled hostile words against President Martelly and other deputies announced that they will gather to give a response to the Executive.

... Deputies are planning to hold a meeting to have Deputy Bélizaire released. This meeting will be difficult as parliamentarians are on vacation until January. Committees are still operational but a meeting of the National Assembly requires significant circumstances to be held while legislatures are out of session. It is unclear at this point if the convocation will occur.

Deputy Bélizaire after a verbal altercation with the President of the Republic has been pursued by justice officials close to the president. The President and Vice-president of the legislative branch have stood against the arrest of Bélizaire; requiring due process, unsuccessfully.