Haitian gov’t and UN to form commission to investigate deaths of prisoners following quake
By APFriday, May 28, 2010
UN and Haitian gov’t to probe alleged jail deaths
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Haiti’s government and U.N. officials are forming a joint, independent commission to investigate the deaths of some prisoners during a jail uprising after the Jan. 12 earthquake.
Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive says the president asked the U.N. envoy to Haiti to find out what happened at the prison in the southern city of Les Cayes.
The New York Times reported Saturday that 12 to 19 prisoners died when police opened fire as inmates tried to flee. It said authorities tried to cover up the incident.
Bellerive tells The Associated Press he wasn’t aware of the incident until the article. He said Thursday that the official investigation was inadequate and pledged the government will take action if laws were broken.
