Haiti, UN to probe prison deaths

Haiti's government and United Nations officials are forming a joint independent commission to investigate the deaths of some inmates during a prison uprising following the earthquake in January.



Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive says the president has asked the UN envoy to Haiti to find out what happened at the prison in the southern city of Les Cayes.



The request follows a report by the New York Times last weekend that 12 to 19 prisoners died when police opened fire as inmates tried to flee.



Mr Bellerive says he was not aware of the incident until the article was published and that the government will take action if it is discovered that laws were broken.