Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti

The Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti (IJDH) is a non-profit organization based in Joseph, Oregon, USA that seeks to accompany the people of Haiti in their non-violent struggle for the consolidation of constitutional democracy, justice and human rights. IJDH distributes information on human rights conditions in Haiti, pursues legal cases in Haitian, U.S. and international courts, and promotes grassroots advocacy initiatives with organizations in Haiti and abroad. IJDH was founded in the wake of the February 2004 coup d’etat that overthrew Haiti’s elected, constitutional government. The institute works closely with its Haitian affiliate, the Bureau des Avocats Internationaux.

IJDH's [http://www.ijdh.org/HAIP.htm "Haiti Asylum Information Project"] provides information and analysis for Haitians seeking political asylum or relief from deportation in the U.S.

IJDH and BAI represent victims of political killings, political prisoners and others imprisoned unjustly. Their "impact litigation" approach uses individual cases to force broad-based changes in the Haitian justice system.

IJDH along with BAI continue their involvement in bringing those responsible for the Raboteau Massacre to justice. In May 2008, the BAI delivered $430,000 in court-ordered compensation to the Raboteau victims.

In June, 2008, IJDH won the first-ever Haiti case at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, in the case of "Yvon Neptune v. Haiti".

Board members

*Brian Concannon Jr. Esq., Director, Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti.

*Dr Paul Farmer, M.D. Ph.D., Founder, Partners in Health and Professor, Harvard Medical School

*Laura Flynn, MFA, Fellow, Human Rights Program at the University of Minnesota and author of [http://www.amazon.com/dp/1582433852 "Swallow the Ocean: A Memoir"] .

* [http://www.kkwtlaw.com/Bio/IraKurzban.asp Ira Kurzban, Esq.] , one of America’s pre-eminent refugee lawyers.

*Judy Prosper, Esq., Haitian-American attorney.

*Bryan Stevenson, Esq., founder and Executive Director of the [http://www.eji.org Equal Justice Initiative of Alabama] , professor of Clinical Law, NYU School of Law

*Irwin Stotzky Esq., Professor of Law, University of Miami School of Law, Director, Center for the Study of Human Rights

Collaborators

* [http://www.cja.org The Center for Justice and Accountability]
*Harvard Law School: Human Rights Program
*Seton Hall Law School: Immigration and Human Rights Clinic
*TransAfrica Forum
*University of California,Hastings Law School: Human Rights Project for Haiti
*University of San Francisco: Center For Law & Global Justice
*Yale Law School: Lowenstein Human Rights Clinic

External links

* [http://www.ijdh.org IJDH Home Page]
* [http://www.haitijustice.typepad.com Haiti JusticeBlog]
* [http://youtube.com/watch?v=cwAhBpn-uW8 Video of Brian Concannon and Bolivar Ramilus]
* [http://youtube.com/watch?v=N1HEEv8QJ4E Video of Brian Concannon]

Articles by IJDH and the Bureau des Avocats Internationaux

* [http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/12/11/5760/ "Disturbing the Peace in Haiti and New Orleans"]
* [http://blog.ijdh.org/haiti_justiceblog/2007/11/my-rosary-is-my.html "My Rosary is My Only Weapon"]
* [http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/sfl-forum09haitisbdec09,0,1731888.story "Baseless Arrests Continue"]
* [http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/brian_concannon/2007/05/the_question_not_asked.html "The Question Not Asked: Paul Wolfowitz, Haiti and the World Bank"]
* [http://americas.irc-online.org/am/4140 "Haiti, Minustah and Latin America: Solidaridad?"]
* [http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/issues/haiti/2006/0724restitution.htm "Haiti Needs Justice, Not Charity"]