Three Pakistani police personnel, serving in one of the United Nations' peackeeping missions in Haiti, have been found guilty in a sexual exploitation case and will be imprisoned on their return to Pakistan.
According to the UN Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), a military justice procedure was conducted by Pakistani authorities in Port-au-Prince against three members of the Pakistani Formed Police Unit.
"The three individuals were found guilty of sexual exploitation and abuse through a court martial proceeding undertaken in accordance with the national laws of Pakistan," UN spokesman Martin Nesirky told reporters during his daily briefing.
The police personnel were based in Gonaives and a senior Pakistani official had visited Haiti on March 8 and 9 to meet with Haitian authorities regarding the case.
Nesirky said according to the Pakistani authorities, the three would be punished, including through "dishonourable discharge from service with loss of benefits".
They will also serve a jail term immediately after they return to Pakistan. "The guilty parties have been repatriated and the UN is further liaising with the Pakistani authorities to examine the formal details of the procedures and to ensure appropriate follow-up," Neirky added.
He said he would not comment on how long the prison sentence would be and on other details of the punishment since that is a matter between Pakistan and Haiti.
Nesirky added that the UN considers this to be a "case of the most serious sexual exploitation and abuse".
