PRESIDENTIAL PARDON FOR 18 TEENAGERS
(Haiti Libre) -
As part of the "Week of the Child" [4 to 10 June], 18 teenagers of the 130 currently detained at Delmas 33, in the Rehabilitation Center of Minors in Conflict with the Law (CERMICOL), have been released by "presidential pardon".
The releases were performed in the presence of Ms. Arielle Villedrouin, Director of the Institute of Welfare and Research (IBESR); Ms. Sophia Martelly, the First Lady of the Republic; Jean Renel Sanon, Minister of Justice; Frantz Charles Deronneth, Director of the Prison Service, and representatives of UNICEF, including Denise Ulwor, assigned to Child Protection and Sebukoko Jean Bosco of the Corrections Unit of the Minustah.
It is Sophia Martelly who announced the release of these minors, estimating that in 2012, it is time that "the children's prison is abolished and at the same time, that Learning centers replace them." While inviting the children to change their behavior, the First Lady has promised to work to improve their living conditions. "Nou vle chanje, nou ka chanje, pou Ayiti ka dekole" [We want to change, we can change, so that Haiti can embark towards progress]....
Me Jean Renel Senatus, the Government Commissioner of Port-au-Prince, stated that while in some cases the rights of these children were violated, to have for example being tried by ordinary courts, they have mostly been released because of their good behavior. He wished, like the First Lady, "that the children's prison is closed and is opened in its place, a true rehabilitation center; so that these teenagers, when they will be released, can be useful to society."
For her part, Ms. Betty Demorcy, Director of CERMICOL, wished that justice be more active and that the children can be quickly set about their fate. Abundant in this sense, Mr. Sebukoko recalled that on the 130 young inmates at Rehabilitation Center of Minors, only 15 were tried; the others being in prolonged pretrial detention...
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