Former Haitian coup leader Guy Philippe pleaded not guilty [BBC report] on Friday to charges of drug trafficking and money laundering in the Federal Court for the Southern District of Florida [official website]. Philippe was arrested on January 5 and flown to the US to stand trial on longstanding charges, after appearing on a Haitian radio show. His arrest came just days before he was set to be sworn in as a senator in the Haitian senate, which would have afforded him some immunity from being prosecuted in the US. Many of Philippe’s supporters showed up to the hearing at the court house protesting the arrest, claiming he was innocent and that he has immunity as an elected Haitian official. Philippe who was serving as the chief of police, was part of the coup that removed the sitting President of Haiti from power in 2004. The case has not yet been set for trial.

US authorities have previously prosecuted numerous former Haitian officials on drug charges, some of whom may be witnesses in the Philippe case. These are not the only Haitian offcials to stand trial. In February 2014 an appellate court found that Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier who ruled the nation for 15 years, could be charged [JURIST report] with crimes against humanity committed during his reign in the 70s and 80s. Former president of Haiti Jean Bertrand Aristide has also been charged [JURIST op-ed] with commiting several crimes, centering on allegations of corruption, criminal conspiracy, money laundering and misappropriation of funds.