Haitian prosecutors have charged the former
leader Jean-Claude Duvalier with theft and
misappropriation of funds during his 15-year rule,
which ended in 1986.
Mr Duvalier, also known as Baby Doc, was
detained and charged two days after his surprise
return to Haiti from exile.
But human rights groups say Mr Duvalier should
also face trial for the torture and murder of
thousands of people.
Haiti's former leader Jean-Claude "Baby
Doc" Duvalier has been charged with
corruption and embezzlement during his
1971-1986 rule, prosecutors say.
Mr Duvalier was allowed to go free after
questioning, but a judge will decide whether his
case goes to trial.
The ex-leader, who denies wrongdoing, made a
surprise return to Haiti on Sunday after 24 years
in exile.
He was regarded as a playboy during his time in
office, when he used a brutal militia to control the
country.
He said he had "come to help" after last year's
devastating earthquake.
Port-au-Prince's chief prosecutor Aristidas
Auguste told Reuters that charges of corruption,
theft, misappropriation of funds and other alleged
crimes had been brought against him.
'Ongoing burden'
There have been growing calls for Mr Duvalier to
be prosecuted for alleged torture and murder of
thousands of people during his rule.
On Tuesday, Mr Auguste and a judge came to Mr
Duvalier's hotel in Port-au-Prince to question him
over allegations he embezzled millions of dollars
from the country's treasury.
He was then taken to court where he was
questioned for several hours. Some onlookers
are reported to have jeered as he left, while
others cheered in a show of support.
Gervais Charles, president of the Port-au-Prince
bar association and a member of his defence
team, told the BBC that Mr Duvalier had been very
calm during questioning and denied having done
anything wrong.
"When they asked him how much money he
had in Swiss bank accounts, he said about $1.5m
at that time, 26 years ago, and the funds are still
blocked," Mr Charles said.
His client had said the money in question came
from his mother's foundation, Mr Charles added.
Judicial system
Gianni Maggazini, a senior official with the Office
of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights,
told the BBC the decision to charge Mr Duvalier
"may be an important step to establish the facts,
try to understand what happened, ensure
accountability for past crimes and fight impunity".
Mr Maggazini said the case underlined how
important it was that international pledges made
to help improve the Haitian judicial system "need
to be translated into action".
"The judicial system in Haiti needs as much
support as possible."
US state department spokesman Philip Crowley
described Mr Duvalier's return to Haiti as an
addition to the country's "ongoing burden".
He arrived on the day Haiti was supposed to hold
a second round of elections to choose a
successor to outgoing President Rene Preval.
That vote has been postponed because of a
dispute over which candidates should be on the
ballot paper.
Provisional results from the first round on 28
November provoked violent demonstrations
when they were announced, and most observers
said there was widespread fraud and intimidation.
The UN secretary general's spokesperson said Mr
Duvalier's return had come as a "total surprise" to
the organisation's mission in the country, as it
had to many others.
Martin Nesirky said it was a source of concern to
see him resurfacing at a critical time for the
stability of the country.
Mr Duvalier was just 19 when he inherited the title
of "president-for-life" from his father, the
notorious Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier, who had
ruled Haiti since 1957.
Like his father, he relied on a brutal private militia
known as the Tontons Macoutes, which
controlled Haiti through violence and intimidation.
Haiti is struggling to recover from a massive
earthquake one year ago that killed more than
250,000 people and left Port-au-Prince in ruins.
Source: Http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-12223836
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