Guest post by Ryan Sawatzky. 

Jean-Claude Duvalier fled into exile in 1986 and it marked a very special time in Haiti's history. It was a beginning of bidding farewell to tyrannical dictatorships. It set the stage for democratic governance, though another four, difficult years of struggle still lay ahead.

Guest column by Beverly Bell

Inside the USAID-headquarters-turned-courthouse in Port-au-Prince, the case against former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier was being heard, in a trial unlikely to bring justice to the hundreds of thousands killed and tortured by him and his father François.

Vexed by the circus show of judges and defense lawyers, I fled the building and hailed a collective taxicab. The driver asked my nationality. When I told him, he said, “If you don’t mind, I want to ask you something. Are there all these children sleeping in the streets and under bridges in your country?”

Feb 28, 2013--Jean-Claude Duvalier has today obeyed a judicial order to appear in a Haitian court to answer to criminal accusations. The proceedings are ongoing and you can follow them on the Twitter feed of Attorney Nicole Phillips.

Jean-Claude Duvalier has been ordered to appear before a judge in Port au Prince on Thursday, February 21 to answer to criminal charges of theft and embezzling of state funds.

The order to appear was issued by a judge on February 7 following Duvalier's failure to appear on that date. Duvalier's lawyers said he was a no-show because it was the anniversary date of the tyrant's overthrow 27 years ago and he was concerned for his security. The judge's order to appear on Feb. 21 means Duvalier could be arrested if he does a repeat.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are sending representatives to attend the court hearing. The Amnesty representative will be Béatrice Vaugrante of the group's French-language office in Canada (Montreal).