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Alert

Jean Dominique case: RSF, the Haitian Journalists' Association and the Damocles Network call for the case of murdered journalist to be transferred to another judge

(RSF/IFEX) - Exiled judge Claudy Gassant, formerly in charge of investigating the April 2000 murder of prominent radio journalist Jean Dominique, has denied the Haitian government's claim that it officially informed him he was being reappointed to lead the inquiry.




Gassant told RSF that remarks by presidential spokesperson Jacques Maurice, reported in the 11 June 2002 edition of the daily "Le Nouvelliste", that he had twice been formally notified were not true. He said that instead of contacting him, the government had tried to blame him for the delay in the investigation. President Jean-Bertrand Aristide himself is responsible for blocking the investigation, he said, adding that "I have nothing to do with this case anymore." Despite Aristide's public reassurances, the former judge said his life would be in danger if he returned to Haiti from the United States, where he is currently taking refuge.

Following Gassant's remarks, RSF, the Damocles Network and the Haitian Journalists' Association (AJH) called for the case to be transferred to another judge. "There is no longer any reason for this investigation to remain without someone in charge," the three organisations said in a joint letter to Jocelyne Pierre, head of the Port-au-Prince civil court.

"We regret Judge Gassant's position, but the most important thing is that the investigation continues so that the ruling concluding the inquiry is published and the trial of those accused of the crime can begin," said RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard, AJH Secretary-General Joseph Guyler C. Delva and Damocles Vice-President Jean-Pierre Getti. They called on Judge Pierre not to focus on procedural matters that would hold up the appointment of a new judge in the case. "It is no longer important whether it was President Aristide or Judge Gassant who did not follow the right procedures. The facts are that Aristide said he was reappointing Gassant and Gassant has indicated that he is no longer interested in the job. The extreme importance of this case for Haitian society requires that it now be handed over as soon as possible to another judge who is competent and independent," the three organisations said.

On 3 April 2000, Dominique, Haiti's best-known journalist and political commentator, was shot dead in the courtyard of Radio Haiti Inter, of which he was the director. Known for being outspoken, Dominique criticised former Duvalierists, members of the army, and the country's rich families alike. More recently, he also accused individuals inside Aristide's Fanmi Lavalas party of trying to "divert the movement from its original ideals."

The investigation of the murder was assigned to Judge Gassant in September 2000. His predecessor, Jean-Sénat Fleury, resigned after receiving threats. Gassant's term expired on 3 January 2002 and was not immediately renewed by Aristide. It was, however, renewed three months later, on 1 April, after national and international pressure. At the time, the presidential spokesman said the Dominique inquiry would once again be entrusted to Gassant. Since then, Gassant has not formally responded to this decision, saying it has not been officially communicated to him in the United States, where he has taken refuge since January. During the 16 months he led the investigation, he was frequently threatened and subjected to pressure.