-Caveat Lector- French Citizen Suit Targets ''Baby Doc'' Duvalier Reuters 23-DEC-98 PARIS, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Exiled former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier has been ordered to appear in court in March to answer a private citizen's complaint that he lacks French residency papers, a lawyer said on Wednesday. Lawyer Christophe Wacquet, representing Jacques Samyn of France's Picardie region, said Duvalier would be required to attend a March 11 hearing on his residential status before a French court in Grasse, southern France, his last known address. Normally, such a demand would be made by the state. But French law allows private citizens to file a complaint in the event the state fails to act, and the state prosecutors in Grasse are obliged to act on the complaint, Wacquet said. Duvalier's lawyer Herve Cabeli, contacted by Reuters, called the move "judicially absurd" but declined to say whether his client would appear. The complaint about Duvalier's residency status was the second legal action under way in France against the former dictator. The arrest of former Chilean ruler Augusto Pinochet in Britain on an extradition request by Spain mobilised Haitians in both Haiti and France earlier this month to prepare a similar case against the former Haitian leader. Duvalier, who took power in Haiti in 1971 on the death of his father, Francois Duvalier or "Papa Doc," has been living in France since he was overthrown in 1986 and flown to exile by the U.S. military. His current whereabouts are unclear but his lawyer said recently that he is still in France. Paris has turned down his request for political asylum. If Duvalier were found by the court to be living in France illegally, he could be sentenced to up to a year in prison, fined up to 25,000 francs ($4,500) and banned from French territory. Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited.All rights reserved. ================================= Robert F. Tatman [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Remove "nospam" from the address to reply. NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml POSTING THIS MESSAGE TO THE INTERNET DOES NOT IMPLY PERMISSION TO SEND UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL E-MAIL (SPAM) TO THIS OR ANY OTHER INTERNET ADDRESS. RECEIPT OF SPAM WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE NOTIFICATION OF THE SENDER'S ISP. ____________________________________________________________________ More than just email--Get your FREE Netscape WebMail account today at http://home.netscape.com/netcenter/mail DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
