attorney - Haiti Observer Blog

This is something that you can expect to be big in the next several day.

Lawyer André Michel who filed the corruption complaint against First Lady Sophia Martelly and her son Olivier Martelly was arrested in Martissant

The arrest came after the Human Rights Lawyer André Michel parked his car near a police sub-station in Martissant. He had requested the presence of his attorney. As a large crowd began to protest the arrest, an impressive detachment of CIMO agents barricaded the police station in Martissant not to allow anyone to enter and did not take time to start firing tear gas on the crowd. Subsequently, André Michel was taken away.

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Since 1994 there have been 19 recipients of the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders; one for each year since its inception. The winners have ranged from people to organizations, living and working in many different countries across the world. Titled for Amnesty International's past secretary general, the award isn't so much celebratory, as an investment in the safety of the individuals who, through their work in their home countries and their efforts to defend human rights, find themselves in danger.

The award committee achieves this by giving protection through publicity, through shining light on the issues, and by drawing the attention of the media on the individuals who are often risking their lives while fulfilling their undertakings.

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The Haitian legal profession has lost its most talented and dynamic litigator, Constantin Mayard-Paul, to an embolism, causing his heart to stop on May 30, 2008. When word of his death spread to Port-au-Prince Bar Association, they sent a courier notice asking all cases being heard that day in Port-au-Prince courts adjourn in honor of Constantin's demise.

Public-commentary station, Radio Kiskeya, interviewed Constantin's son, Thierry Mayard-Paul. Bereaved to say much, he did share his father's battle with emphysema, saying it did not prevent him from enjoying his retirement after half a century of practicing law.

One of Constantin's closest colleagues, Gérard Gourgue, spoke to news outlets about his nearly 60-year friendship with him. He said they had worked together on cases referred to their advocacy group, Haitian Human Rights League. He also noted some characteristics of Constantin's he admired, like his acute attention to fine points of law, his assiduous trial preparation, and diligent witness preparation for depositions.

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Jacques Nicolas Léger

Jacques Nicolas Léger was born in 1859 in Les Cayes, Haiti. He was a diplomat, a politician and a Haitian lawyer. Though his early education was in Republic of Haiti, he was sent to Paris at a very young age where he received his legal training and higher education. His father was a notable statesman and a Haitian Senate member and as a result, Léger got a chance to actively participate in Haitian politics at a very early age. When he was only 22 years old, he became Haitian Legation's secretary in Paris and soon after the sudden resignation by Minister Charles Séguy Villevaleix, Jacques Nicolas Léger became charge d'affaires.

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Honorary Doctorate in humane letters was presented to the Managing Attorney, Me Mario Joseph of (IJDH) Institute for Justice & Democracy Bureau des Avocats Internationaux (BAI) in Haiti. Stephen A Privett, S.J. USF President declared that Mario Joseph was extremely devoted to his career.

A Legal Voice for the Oppressed

He stood up for victims of injustice as a human rights attorney. He has provided legal voice to all those who had been silenced by the oppression by his personal and deep commitment.

The entire community of USF and graduates are sure to gain inspiration from this, he declared during the graduation ceremony where he conferred the honorary degree on him. He addressed this to more than just the graduate and undergraduate USF College of Arts and Science students at the graduation ceremony.

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Haitian-American human rights attorney and Director of Bureau des Avocats Internationaux (BAI), Mario Joseph, provides legal services for those incarcerated for speaking out against the government of Haiti (GOH). He also goes to bat for impoverished Haitians and citizens harmed because of their political beliefs.

Mario Joseph earned his university degree from École Normale Supérieure and studied at Gonaïves Law School. He began his career as human rights counsel for the Peace and Justice Commission of the Catholic Church. In 1996, he became a member of BAI.

Joseph's most significant case was the Raboteau Massacre trial, in which he was lead counsel, representing survivors of the event. The six-week trial ended with 53 convictions and punitive damages of $43 million USD, assessed against the offenders. Joseph did not stop with the Haitian convictions. He assisted the Center of Justice and Accountability to try other instigators involved in the Raboteau Massacre in the U.S. judicial system.

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