Human rights lawyer and activist Antoinette Moore was arrested and detained along with her husband Michael L. Flores for alleged drug trafficking. Antoinette Moore works as a lawyer in Dangriga. Many of her cases involve human rights issues and in particular allegations of police brutality. Michael Flores is a businessman, journalist and former radio broadcaster, like his wife he campaigns on human rights issues. In the past year and particularly since the appointment of a new Assistant Police Superintendent in the Dangriga area, both Antoinette Moore and Michael Flores have been subjected to low-level but persistent police harassment. The International Bar Association has expressed concerns that the case against Michael Flores and Antoinette Moore is ill-founded and has come about as a result of their human rights activities.
LRWC ACTION
LRWC wrote a letter to Said Musa, Prime Minister of Belize requesting his intervention to initiate a full and impartial investigation of the circumstances of Ms. Moore’s and Mr. Flores’ harassment, arrests and charges, and to ensure that Ms. Moore and Mr. Flores be protected from police violence and other mistreatment and accorded the opportunity to consult and be represented by independent counsel of their choice. LRWC also requested the intervention of the President to insure that the conduct of the police authorities in Belize be brought into conformity with Belize’s international obligations and domestic law.
