In Haiti: 'Baby Doc' Duvalier Taken Into Custody

Former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier, who Sunday returned to his island nation from exile, was just taken into custody by police in Port-au-Prince, the cable news networks are reporting.

The Associated Press writes that:

"The former dictator known as 'Baby Doc' was led through the hotel by a contingent of police. He did not say anything as he was out the back of the hotel. Asked by journalists if he was being arrested, his longtime companion Veronique Roy, laughed but said nothing."

On All Things Considered yesterday, writer Amy Wilentz discussed the brutal dictatorships of Duvalier and his father ("Papa Doc") -- and the younger man's return to Haiti.

Duvalier fled Haiti in 1986 and most recently had been living in France.

Earlier today, the BBC reported that Duvalier "is to be questioned by police, officials have said. He will be 'at the disposal of' Haiti's judicial system, a senior government official has said. ... There have been growing calls for Mr Duvalier to be prosecuted for the alleged torture and murder of thousands of people during his rule in the 1970s and 80s. Upon his return, Mr Duvalier said he had 'come to help' after last year's earthquake."

Duvalier was 19 when he took control of Haiti following his father's death in 1971.

Update at 2:25 p.m. ET. The Associated Press now leads its story with this:

"Haitian police led ex-dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier out of his hotel in Port-au-Prince and took him to court Tuesday without saying whether he was being charged with crimes committed under his brutal regime. His longtime companion denied that he had been arrested."

Correction at 1 p.m. ET: Earlier, we said Duvalier had returned to Haiti "yesterday." It was Sunday when he came back. We've updated the post to make that change. Copyright 2011 National Public Radio. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.