PENDING REPORT ON PRISONS

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000771 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/EX AND WHA/CAR S/CRS SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR INR/IAA (BEN-YEHUDA) WHA/EX PLEASE PASS USOAS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC HA KCRM KJUS PGOV PREL PHUM SNAR SUBJECT: PENDING REPORT ON PRISONS ¶1. (U) The International Crisis Group (ICG) will soon release a report highlighting deficiencies in Haiti's prison system, and warn that increased arrests from MINUSTAH's and the HNP's security crackdown exacerbates the strains on the prison system. Dr. Damien Helly, the ICG's senior analyst for Haiti, told poloff on April 23 that the report will contain three recommendations: that the international donor community and the GoH establish a common pool of funds, co-administered by the international donor community and the GoH for the construction of prisons in Haiti. The report proposes a donor conference as the venue for establishing the prison fund pool; that the GoH construct a maximum security prison to house convicted criminals and reduce prison escapes; and that the GoH establish a temporary incarceration facility to relieve the congestion at the national penitentiary in Port-au-Prince. Any temporary detention center would have to address the detention conditions and rights of pre-trial detainees. ¶2. (U) Comment: Both international and Haitian experts increasingly recognize that the dysfunctionality of the prison system (as well as the justice system generally) threatens the progress the HNP have made in fighting crime. The publication of the ICG report should serve as an opportunity for the donor community to focus dialogue on prison reform with the GoH. As post and the Department, particularly the INL and DRL bureaus, consider how we might support prison reform, we will continue to report on the direction of discussions in Haiti. SANDERSON