The trial of Jean Morose Viliena, the former mayor of Les Irois, Haiti, began on Monday in Boston. Viliena is accused of lying on his U.S. visa application about his involvement in human rights abuses during his tenure as mayor from 2006 to 2010

He faces three counts of visa fraud for allegedly concealing his role in violent acts against political opponents and others in Haiti.

Key Allegations:

  • 2007 Incident: Prosecutors claim that Viliena led a group to the home of a political rival, where they shot and killed the rival’s younger brother, Eclesiaste Boniface, and brutally assaulted his body.
  • 2008 Radio Station Attack: Viliena allegedly orchestrated an armed assault on a community radio station he opposed, using firearms, machetes, picks, and sledgehammers. During this incident, he is accused of assaulting a man and ordering his associates to shoot others.

Defense Position:
Viliena’s defense maintains that he did not provide false information on his visa application and that he was wrongly accused of violent acts attributed to a rival political faction. His attorney, Jason Benzaken, asserts that Viliena is innocent and looks forward to presenting evidence to prove it.

Previous Legal Actions:
In a previous civil lawsuit in Boston, a jury found Viliena liable for human rights abuses, including the killing and attempted murders, and ordered him to pay substantial damages to the victims. The lawsuit was filed under the Tort Victim Protection Act, which allows civil claims against foreign officials for torture or extrajudicial killings abroad.

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