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17 January 2019 HTI106218.FE

Haiti: The Justice Platform (Platfòm Jistis) political party, including its political platform, structure, founding members and leaders, ties to other entities or political parties, and its candidates in the 2015 and 2016 elections; treatment by authorities of members (2015-January 2019) Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa

1. Justice Platform

In correspondence with the Research Directorate, the Executive Director of the Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti (IJDH) [1], speaking on his own behalf, explained that the Justice Platform political party was founded in March 2015 (Executive Director 10 Jan. 2019). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. Media articles from 2015 and 2016 refer to a political party called Jistis or Jistis Platform (Tout Haïti 29 June 2016; The Miami Herald 20 May 2015; HPN 7 Jan. 2016).

The US daily newspaper the Miami Herald describes the Justice Platform as an “opposition” platform (The Miami Herald 20 May 2015). A January 2016 article from the Haiti Press Network (HPN) news agency also mentions the Justice Platform as being among the [translation] “opposition forces” (HPN 7 Jan. 2016). According to the Executive Director of the IJDH, the Justice Platform, which is “on the left side of the spectrum, probably center-left,” is highly critical of the administrations of Michel Martelly and Jovenel Moïse, emphasizing government accountability, especially in the matter of public funds (Executive Director 10 Jan. 2019).

According to sources, the Justice Platform’s founding members are André Michel (Executive Director 10 Jan. 2019; The Miami Herald 20 May 2015) and Newton Saint Juste (Executive Director 10 Jan. 2019). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. Some sources refer to André Michel (or Michel André) as the leader of the Justice Platform (Executive Director 10 Jan. 2019; AlterPresse 19 Mar. 2016; People's Daily Online 4 Nov. 2015), and others as its [translation] “representative” (HPN 7 Jan. 2016) or [translation] “one of its officials” (VBI 16 Feb. 2016; HPN 22 Apr. 2015). According to sources, André Michel is a lawyer (Executive Director 10 Jan. 2019; HPN 6 Jan. 2016; AFP 24 Oct. 2013) and a [translation] “politician” (HPN 22 Apr. 2015).

Sources describe André Michel as an opponent of Michel Martelly (Executive Director 10 Jan. 2019; Le Nouvelliste 23 Oct. 2013; HPN 6 Jan. 2016). According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), André Michel [translation] “accused the Haitian government of corruption” and took “charge of court cases against President Michel Martelly” (AFP 24 Oct. 2013). The same source reports that André Michel [translation] “served as secretary general of a coalition of political opposition parties called Group 77 [Groupe 77]” (AFP 24 Oct. 2013). An article in Le Nouvelliste on 21 October 2014 reports that André Michel was the spokesperson for Group 77, but that he was dismissed and that the group withdrew from the Patriotic Movement of Democratic Opposition (Mouvement patriotique de l'opposition démocratique, MOPOD) (Le Nouvelliste 21 Oct. 2014). Another media source reports that Group 77 split from MOPOD on 16 October 2014 because of the [translation] “anti-democratic” attitude of the latter’s spokesperson, André Michel (HPN 16 Oct. 2014). The Executive Director of IJDH similarly reported that André Michel had led MOPOD before founding the Justice Platform (Executive Director 10 Jan. 2019). The same source reported that he had previously been active in the Convention for Democratic Unity (Konvansyon inite demokratik, KID), then in the Rally of Progressive National Democrats (Rassemblement des démocrates nationaux progressistes, RDNP) [2] (Executive Director 10 Jan. 2019). According to sources, André Michel is currently a leader or the spokesperson of the Popular Democratic Sector (Secteur démocratique populaire) movement, which is demanding the removal of President Jovenel Moïse (Executive Director 10 Jan. 2019; Le Nouvelliste 16 Nov. 2018).

Sources describe Newton Louis Saint Juste as a lawyer (Executive Director 10 Jan. 2019; Le Nouvelliste 23 Oct. 2013). The Executive Director stated that Newton Saint Juste and André Michel are “prominent and fierce critics of the administrations of Presidents Martelly and Moïse” (Executive Director 10 Jan. 2019). Sources report that Newton Louis Saint Juste and André Michel filed, on behalf of one of their clients, Enold Florestal, corruption complaints against President’s family [the Martelly family] in 2013 (Le Nouvelliste 23 Oct. 2013; AlterPresse 1 Aug. 2013). According to sources, Newton Louis Saint Juste left the Justice Platform party in May 2015 (Executive Director 10 Jan. 2019; Saint Juste 11 May 2015).

Sources mention that Claude Beauboeuf, an economist, is a member of the Justice Platform (Radio Kiskeya 8 Sept. 2015; VBI 16 Feb. 2016). According to a Vant Bèf Info (VBI) article [3], Claude Beauboeuf was part of a Justice Platform delegation that met with the provisional government in February 2016 (VBI 16 Feb. 2016). According to the same source, Jean Nazaire Thidé and Enold Florestal were also part of that delegation (VBI 16 Feb. 2016). According to Newton Louis Saint Juste’s letter of resignation addressed to the Justice Platform, Jean Nazaire Thidé was the Justice Platform’s coordinator in May 2015 (Saint Juste 11 May 2015). In an article on a call for an opposition rally in August 2015 by André Michel, HPN reports that he [translation] “was joined” by Enol[d] F[l]orestal (HPN 24 Aug. 2015). 2. Participation in the 2015-2016 Elections

Sources report that André Michel was a candidate for the Justice Platform party in the 2015-2016 Haitian presidential elections (Executive Director 10 Jan. 2019; HPN 24 Aug. 2015; The Miami Herald 20 May 2015). Sources also indicate that André Michel and the Justice Platform withdrew from the presidential race (People's Daily Online 4 Nov. 2015; Agencia EFE 21 Oct. 2015; Executive Director 10 Jan. 2019) in September 2015 (Executive Director 10 Jan. 2019). According to sources, they protested against irregularities in the electoral process (Executive Director 10 Jan. 2019; HPN 24 Aug. 2015). They also criticized the work of the Provisional Electoral Council (Conseil électoral provisoire) (HPN 6 Jan. 2016; People's Daily Online 4 Nov. 2015). Furthermore, they called for a boycott of the elections (Executive Director 10 Jan. 2019; Radio Kiskeya 8 Sept. 2015).

3. Treatment by the Authorities of Justice Platform Members

Information on the treatment by authorities of Justice Platform members or on the current situation of the Justice Platform could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of the Response, and the Research Directorate was unable to verify whether the party still exists.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Notes

[1] The Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti (IJDH) is based in the US and advocates for human rights in Haiti, especially in the areas of access to justice and respect for democracy; the IJDH works with local movements and pursues cases before Haitian and international courts (IJDH n.d.).

[2] For information on André Michel’s involvement in the RDNP, see Response to Information Request HTI106126 of June 2018. [3] Vant Bèf Info (VBI) is a [translation] “media outlet grouping together a number of professional journalists and citizen journalists in Haiti and abroad” (VBI n.d.).

References Agence France-Presse (AFP). 24 October 2013. “L'avocat de l'opposition en Haïti se dit puni pour ses opinions politiques.” [Accessed 9 Jan. 2019]

Agencia EFE. 21 October 2015. “Renuncian otros dos candidatos presidenciales en Haití.” [Accessed 8 Jan. 2019]

AlterPresse. 19 March 2016. “Haïti-Politique : L’avocat Michel André prône un rééquilibrage des rapports de forces pour débloquer la situation.” [Accessed 14 Jan. 2019]

AlterPresse. 1 August 2013. “Haïti-Justice : Le Rnddh s’élève contre la tentative d’arrestation de l’avocat André Michel.” [Accessed 9 Jan. 2019]

Executive Director, Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti (IJDH). 10 January 2019. Correspondence with the Research Directorate.

Haiti Press Network (HPN). 7 January 2016. “Haïti-Politique : Réunion de l'opposition pour planifier un calendrier de mobilisation.” [Accessed 14 Jan. 2019]

Haiti Press Network (HPN). 6 January 2016. Evens Pierre-Louis. “Haiti-Elections- crise : ‘Michel Martelly doit partir le 7 février 2016’, selon la plateforme JISTIS.” [Accessed 8 Jan. 2019]

Haiti Press Network (HPN). 24 August 2015. “Haïti : Me Andre Michel invite les partis de l’opposition à une alliance ultra large.” [Accessed 8 Jan. 2019]

Haiti Press Network (HPN). 22 April 2015. “Haïti-USA : le consulat américain annule le visa de Me André Michel.” [Accessed 8 Jan. 2019]

Haiti Press Network (HPN). 16 October 2014. Alix Laroche. “Haïti-Politique : Le Groupe 77 s’extrait du MOPOD et s’enflamme contre André Michel.” [Accessed 9 Jan. 2019]

Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti (IJDH). N.d. “About.” [Accessed 11 Jan. 2019]

The Miami Herald. 20 May 2015. Jacqueline Charles. “Former Haiti PM Lamothe Among 70 Vying to Become President.” [Accessed 8 Jan. 2019]

Le Nouvelliste. 16 November 2018. “André Michel ne jure que par la démission de Jovenel Moïse et l’aboutissement au procès Petro Caribe.” [Accessed 9 Jan. 2019]

Le Nouvelliste. 21 October 2014. Danio Darius. “André Michel exclu du groupe 77, il rejette l'information.” [Accessed 9 Jan. 2019]

Le Nouvelliste. 23 October 2013. Roberson Alphonse. “Me André Michel, opposant à Martelly, arrêté.” [Accessed 9 Jan. 2019]

People's Daily Online. 4 November 2015. “Recuento de votos está en 97,55% en Haití para presidenciales.” [Accessed 8 Jan. 2019]

Radio Kiskeya. 8 September 2015. YouTube. “L'économiste Claude Beauboeuf de la Plateforme Justice autour des manifestations.” [Accessed 7 Dec. 2018]

Saint Juste, Newton Louis. 11 May 2015. Lettre de démission de Me. Newton Louis St Juste adressée au directoire de la la Plateforme Jistis. Radio Télévision Caraïbes (RTVC). [Accessed 8 Jan. 2019]

Tout Haïti. 29 June 2016. André Michel. “Le Parlement discrédité, Privert légitimé, la plateforme JISTIS lui demande de mener la transition à bon port.” [Accessed 8 Jan. 2019]

Vant Bèf Info (VBI). 16 February 2016. “Haïti-Politique : La plateforme justice recommande Mirlande Manigat pour diriger le gouvernement de transition.” [Accessed 7 Dec. 2018]

Vant Bèf Info (VBI). N.d. “Vant Bèf Info.” [Accessed 11 Jan. 2019]

Additional Sources Consulted Oral sources: Défenseurs Plus; Haiti Democracy Project; Interuniversity Institute for Research and Development; Réseau national de défense des droits humains.

Internet sites, including: Amnesty International; ecoi.net; Election Guide; Factiva; Freedom House; Human Rights Watch; International Crisis Group; UN – Refworld; US – Department of State. Date modified: 2020-06-01