Amnesty International puts spotlight on Duvalier's alleged crimes

The human rights group Amnesty International has posted the video above to mark the 25th anniversary of ex-dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier’s departure from Haiti in February 1986. Duvalier abruptly and unexpectedly returned to Haiti last month and remains there as authorities investigate charges and plan a possible prosecution of the ex-president.

The video includes archived testimonies from victims of human rights abuses committed during Duvalier’s rule. The interviews — conducted in 1985— include Evans Paul, detained and tortured in 1980, Mark Roumain, unfairly detained for three years and Sylvio Claude, arbitrarily arrested and ill treated in several occasions.

“The fact that Haiti is actually investigating abuses committed during Duvalier’s rule is a great step forward,” said Gerardo Ducos, Haiti expert at Amnesty International in a press release that accompanied today's video release. “However, it is imperative that the authorities don’t loose momentum and make of this a swift and fair process, victims deserve no less.”