The fate of Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine, a human rights defender and former coordinator of the 30 September Foundation remains unknown after he went missing on 12 August 2007. He is believed to have been abducted after he took his leave from an American and Canadian delegation of human rights activists he was accompanying during their visit to Haiti. The vehicle that Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine was driving was found the day after in the Delmas 10 area of metropolitan Port-au-Prince. Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine is the co-founder and national coordinator of the 30 September Foundation. The Foundation is a grass-roots organization regrouping survivors and relatives of victims of the military government of 1991-1994. © Darren Ell Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine Aged 52 Human rights defender and national coordinator of the 30 September Foundation The 30 September Foundation was named after the date of the 1991 military coup thaFt toppled President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. At least 5,000 persons, most of them Aristide and pro-democracy supporters, were killed during the military regime between September 1991 and October 1994. Ever since its creation in 1996, the Foundation members have carried out weekly marches in central Port-au-Prince and several other Haitian towns pressing for an end to the impunity prevailing for past human rights abuses and for reparation for survivors and victims of the military coup. The Foundation also campaigns for the total abolition of the Haitian army through a reform of the Constitution. Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine played a key role in organizing a country-wide tour of a photo-exhibition of victims of past human rights abuses in Haiti during which thousands of signatures were gathered in support of the Foundation's petition for Constitutional reform. Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine's abduction was reportedly made to look like a kidnapping for ransom. On Tuesday 14 August, the alleged abductors called Pierre-Antoine's family asking for a ransom of USD 300,000. However there has been no further contact from the abductors. Days before his abduction, Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine announced his intention to stand as Senator in the elections initially scheduled for December 2007 under the banner of the Fanmi Lavalas Party, Jean-Bertrand Aristide's party. 28 January 2008 AI Index: AMR 36/003/2008 Amnesty International International Secretariat Peter Benenson House 1 Easton Street, London WC1X ODW United Kingdom
An investigation has reportedly been launched by the Anti-kidnapping unit at the Central Directorate of the Judicial Police (Direction Centrale de la Police Judiciaire, DCPJ). However, Amnesty International has received reports that the authorities in charge of the investigation have not shown great resolve in finding Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine. Someone, somewhere, knows what has happened to Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine. Someone is responsible.
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Background information Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine graduated in psychology from the Haitian State University and obtained further specialisation on child psychology in Montreal, Canada. He has been involved for several years as a grass-roots community organizer, mainly working with children. In the early 1990s, he co-founded the Foundation for the Support of Children (Fondsayon Kore Timoun Yo) for young street children in Port-au-Prince, and a centre for teenage mothers (Foyer pour Mères Adolescentes).
write to : President of the Republic René García Préval Président de la République Palais National Champ de Mars Port-au-Prince, HAITI Fax: +509 228 2772 Salutation: Mr. President
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Prime Minister Jacques-Édouard Alexis Ministère de l'Intérieure Villa d'Accueil Delmas 60, Musseau, Port-au-Prince, Haiti Fax: + 509 298 3900 Salutation: Dear Prime Minister Minister of Justice and Public Security René Magloire Ministre de la Justice et de la Sécurité Publique Ministère de la Justice 19 Avenue Charles Summer, Port-au-Prince, Haïti Fax: + 509 245 0474 (ask for the fax line) Salutation: Dear Minister
During the last presidency of Jean-Bertrand Aristide, he was appointed General Coordinator of the National Office on Migration, position he held until February 2004. After Aristide was ousted in February 2004, he left Haiti into exile during the transitional government and returned in February 2006, after the election of President René García Préval. Objectives of the appeal Establish the whereabouts of Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine and bring the perpetrators of his abduction to justice. Timing This action runs from 28 January to 30 April. This appeal will be updated if relevant information to the case is obtained by Amnesty International or further action is needed.
Amnesty International: Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine & Wilson Mésilien: Urgent Action & Report Sign the petition for Lovinsky's safe return |