FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 2, 2006 Contact: Michael Avery, President, 617-335-5023 Marjorie Cohn, President-Elect Heidi Boghosian, Executive Director, 212-679-5100, ext. 11 Brian Concannon Jr., Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti 541-432-0597 HAITIAN CITIZENS FILE COMPLAINT BEFORE THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS FOR THE OVERTHROW OF THEIR DEMOCRACY Haitian citizens whose democratic rights were violated by the February 2004 overthrow of their constitutional government are filing a landmark petition today before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) against the governments of the United States, the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The Haitian citizens are represented by four human rights organizations --- the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti (IJDH), the Bureau des Avocats Internationaux, The Allard K. Lowenstein International Human Rights Clinic at Yale Law School and TransAfrica Forum. “The Petition documents the systematic attack on Haiti’s democracy by the three governments which included undermining the constitutional government through illegal embargoes on development assistance and police supplies, supporting both unarmed and armed groups in the overthrow of the government and kidnapping the democratically-elected President on February 29, 2004,” says Brian Concannon Jr., NLG member and IJDH’s Director. NLG President-Elect Marjorie Cohn explained: "the Petition shows the difference between what the U.S. practices and what it preaches. It demonstrates that international law, including the Inter-American Democratic Charter and the OAS Charter, grant Haitian citizens the right to participate in government by voting, running for and holding office, and expressing their political views. Then it details how the U.S. and other countries deliberately violated those rights. ” NLG President Michael Avery added: “this Petition is particularly important as Haiti’s February 7 elections approach. No matter what happens on Tuesday, the voting will be an empty exercise unless the international community respects Haitian voters’ choices.” The Petition establishes that: - The Bush administration destabilized the democratically-elected government of Haiti by conspiring to cut off all assistance and to prevent the Haitian police to arm themselves while assisting so-called rebels to overthrow the government; - The Dominican Republic assisted the overthrow of the democratic government by allowing so-called rebels to train in that country and to launch strikes against the democratically-elected government of Haiti; - The Interim Government of Haiti, installed by the US government and Haitian elites, is illegal and has engaged in massive repression of the Haitian people. Founded in 1937 as the first racially integrated national bar association, the National Lawyers Guild is the oldest and largest public interest/human rights bar organization in the United States, with more than 200 chapters. The Guild has a long history of representing individuals whose rights have been violated by governments in the U.S. and abroad. The Guild prepared the first two major human rights reports following the February 2004 coup d’etat against Haiti’s elected government. Professor Cohn led a fact-finding delegation of international lawyers that met with President Aristide in Jamaica in March, 2004, and has written extensively on the international law implications of the 2004 coup d’etat. Guild members have represented Haitians seeking political asylum in the U.S., and brought suits in U.S. courts on behalf of victims of past dictatorships.