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Authorities in Turkey have arrested and detained a businessman by the name of Sami Handal because they believe he may be connected to the assassination of former Haitian President Jovenel Moïse. The Hill reports that Handal was traveling from the U.S. to Jordan when he had a layover in Istanbul. While there, Turkey's Justice Ministry granted police the green light to arrest him and hold him in jail for up to 40 days. Handal has been questioned, but it is unclear how he is connected to Moïse's death. The Hill has also reported that Haitian Foreign Minister Claude Joseph spoke to Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu regarding Handal's arrest.
"I just had a phone conversation with my friend and Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu. Thank you for arresting Samir Handal, a person of great interest in the investigation into the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse," Joseph tweeted.
"The sustained contact that we have had with Turkey over the last two days is proof that diplomacy can support justice. With international cooperation, the Central Directorate of the Judicial Police and Interpol, we can bring this international investigation to a successful conclusion and render justice for Jovenel Moïse."
The latest developments in the Moïse assassination investigation come days after the State Department asked all U.S. residents in Haiti to depart on commercial flights. The State Department has indicated that political strife following the assassination of Moïse has made the area unsafe.
"Widespread fuel shortages may limit essential services in an emergency, including access to banks, money transfers, urgent medical care, internet and telecommunications, and public and private transportation options," a statement from the State Department reads, according to The Hill.
"[The U.S. Embassy] is unlikely to be able to assist U.S. citizens in Haiti with departure if commercial options become unavailable."
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