UN: Haiti Needs 'Evidence' to Prosecute Ex-Dictator Duvalier

Haiti's chief prosecutor went with a judge and police Tuesday to meet with former dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier, who returned to the country Sunday after 25 years in exile in France.The officials went to see the former leader, known as "Baby Doc," at the luxury Hotel Karibe, where he has been staying since his unexpected return. It is unclear what the outcome of the meeting will be.

The United Nations human rights office said earlier Tuesday that it is not clear yet whether Haiti is in a position to arrest and charge Mr. Duvalier with atrocities committed during his 15-year rule.

A spokesman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said Tuesday that evidence is needed to mount a case against Mr. Duvalier.

Mr. Duvalier ruled Haiti from 1971 until 1986, when he was ousted by popular revolt. His return to Haiti has prompted human rights groups to call for his prosecution.

Human Rights Watch said Monday that thousands of people were tortured and killed under Mr. Duvalier's regime, and urged Haiti to hold him accountable.

The former dictator took power at age 19 after the death of his father, Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier, who had ruled Haiti since 1957 and was also accused of brutality.

In addition to the accusations of human rights abuses, the younger Mr. Duvalier is alleged to have stolen millions of dollars in public funds.

His return comes at a time of political crisis in Haiti following the November 28 presidential election that triggered protests and allegations of fraud.

State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said in a post on the social networking site Twitter that the United States is "surprised" by the timing of Mr. Duvalier's return. Crowley said it adds unpredictability at an uncertain time in Haiti's election process.

The Caribbean nation, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, is still struggling to recover after a devastating earthquake one year ago that killed more than 200,000 people and left more than a million others homeless. Hundreds of thousands of people still live in tent cities, and many parts of the capital, Port-au-Prince, remain in ruins. The country is also battling a deadly cholera epidemic.