Haiti/human rights: UN expert announces mission to assess implementation of his recommendations

GENEVA (13 October 2016) – The Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Haiti, Gustavo Gallón, will visit Haiti from 18 to 26 October 2016 to assess the impact of Hurricane Matthew on the human rights situation in the country and to monitor progress in implementing the  recommendations contained in his March 2016 report to the Human Rights Council.

“During this sixth visit, I will assess the impact of Hurricane Matthew on the human rights situation in the country. I will also focus on a number of issues, including conditions of detention, long pre-trial detention, illiteracy and impunity for past violations of human rights,” Mr. Gallón said.

“During this visit, I will also review the situation of people deported from the Dominican Republic, problems related to the cholera epidemic, and the electoral process,” the human rights expert added.

During his mission, the Independent Expert will meet the Haitian authorities, including the Office of Citizen Protection, the diplomatic corps, representatives of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and UN agencies, as well as human rights defenders and civil society organizations.
The information collected will be the basis for the preparation of the report that the Independent Expert must present to the Human Rights Council in 2017.

The Independent Expert will hold a press conference on 25 October 2016 in the conference room of MINUSTAH headquarters to present the preliminary findings of his visit. Access to the press conference is strictly limited to journalists.

(*) Check the last reports of the Independent Expert: http://ap.ohchr.org/documents/dpage_f.aspx?m=47

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The Human Rights Council appointed Mr. Gustavo Gallón as Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Haiti in June 2013. Mr. Gallón has over 30 years of experience as a human rights defender and as university professor in public law and human rights. He was the Special Representative of the United Nations Human Rights Commission to Equatorial Guinea from 1999 to 2002. He is currently the director of the Colombian Commission of Jurists since its inception in 1988. Mr. Gallón is independent from any government and conducts his mandate in his sole individual capacity. To know more: http://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures-human-rights-council/independent-expert-situation-human-rights-haiti

United Nations Human Rights, country profile – Haiti:
http://www.ohchr.org/en/countries/haiti
 
For more information and press inquiries, please contact:
In Geneva (before the country visit): Laia Valls Senties (+41 22 917 93 70 / lvalls@ohchr.org)

In Port-au-Prince (during the country visit): Sophie Boutaud de la Combe (+ (509) 2229-6700 (ext 2691) /  boutauddelacombes@un.org)

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