PORT-AU-PRINCE, Feb. 5 -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Friday condemned the increase of child trafficking in Haiti at a time of grief and loss after the devastating earthquake on Jan. 12.

UNICEF Executive Director Ann Veneman said during a visit to Haiti that the Haitian judicial system should be in charge of the trial against the 10 Americans who attempted to take 33 Haitian children out of the country without proper documents on Jan. 29.

The increasing number of child trafficking incidents in Haiti at this disastrous time is worrying UNICEF, said Veneman.

Meanwhile, Haitian Prime Minister Jean Max Bellerive also said the Haitian judicial system will be responsible for dealing with the Americans who were charged on Thursday with "kidnapping minors and criminal association."

Xinhua