Congresswoman Waters and 24 other members of congress ask President Bush to urge the Coup Government of Haiti to release Prime Minister Yvon Neptune

Washington, D.C. -- Today, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) sent a letter to President Bush, asking him to urge the interim government of Haiti to release former Prime Minister Yvon Neptune from prison and respect the rights of all criminal defendants. A total of 25 Members of Congress signed the Congresswoman's letter. Copies of the letter were sent to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Ambassador Timothy M. Carney, the U.S. Ambassador to Haiti. The text of the letter follows:

We write to express our deep concern over recent developments in the case of former Prime Minister Yvon Neptune, who has been unjustly imprisoned in Haiti for over a year.

Judge Cluny Pierre Jules issued an order last month to indict former Prime Minister Neptune and about 30 other individuals on charges of participation in an alleged massacre in Saint-Marc. The order allows former Prime Minister Neptune and all of the other accused individuals to be tried without a jury. The trial would take place before a single judge who would not only rule on the guilt of the defendants but also decide their sentences. Judge Jules' decision is a violation of the Haitian Constitution, which gives defendants in cases of alleged "blood crimes" (crimes resulting in death) the right to a trial by jury.

For former Prime Minister Neptune to be brought to trial without a jury would be a travesty of justice. A criminal trial before a single judge would allow for the manipulation of the judicial system - subjecting the former prime minister to nothing more than a show-trial. If Mr. Neptune is wrongly convicted, the resulting injustice will have far reaching consequences. Mr. Neptune has already been detained illegally for over a year and he should be immediately and unconditionally released.

We implore you to urge the interim government to release Prime Minister Neptune and respect the rights of all criminal defendants. We appreciate your attention to our concerns, and we await your response.

Maxine Waters	Mark Foley	William Delahunt
Barbara Lee	Sherrod Brown	Charles Rangel
Major R. Owens	Donald Payne	Edolphus Towns
Melvin L. Watt	Lynn Woolsey	Bobby L. Rush
John Conyers	Maurice Hinchey	Corrine Brown
Jan Schakowsky	Kendrick B. Meek	Raúl Grijalva
Donna Christensen	Dennis Kucinich	Robert Wexler
Joseph Crowley	Diane Watson	Wm. Lacy Clay
Eleanor Holmes Norton