“The Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression (RELE) of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) condemns the escalation of violence against journalists and media outlets in Haiti and urges the authorities to carry out a full and effective investigation of the facts, and to increase their efforts to protect the press in the exercise of their profession.
So far in 2023, the Office of the Special Rapporteur has learned of several armed attacks, aggressions, and threats against the press, which are part of a context of resurgence of violence by armed gangs in Haiti and impunity, which has already been alerted by the IACHR. Three journalists have been killed so far in 2023 and in the context of the country's insecurity crisis: Paul Jean Marie, of Radio Lumière, on 5 May, in the commune of Croix-des-Bouquets; Ricot Jean, of Radio-Télé Évolution Inter in the city of Saint-Marc, whose body was found on 25 April; and Dumesky Kersaint, of Radio Télé Inurep, on 16 April, in the commune of Carrefour, south of the capital.
According to the information available, in the last month, at least a dozen journalists have fled their homes in the Carrefour-Feuilles neighborhood, located in the southwest of Port-au-Prince, due to the wave of violence caused by gangs in control of the area.”
