Two Haitian journalists were abducted on Friday, March 13, in downtown Port-au-Prince by armed members of a gang. The victims, Osnel Espérance of Radio Uni FM and Junior Célestin of Radio Television Megastar, were kidnapped while reporting in the lower part of the capital, The Haitian Times reported. Their employers confirmed the double abduction, which has sent shockwaves through the local press corps as the city remains gripped by gang violence.
The kidnappings occurred less than 24 hours after a separate, violent assault on the residence of veteran journalist Marvel Dandin, director of Radio Kiskeya. On Thursday night, approximately seven men armed with 9mm pistols attempted to storm Dandin’s apartment in the Thomassin neighborhood. According to Dandin, the attackers tried to breach his door and walls to reach his bedroom before opening fire on the residence in a targeted act of intimidation.
These back-to-back incidents highlight the growing dangers faced by journalists in Haiti, where insecurity has forced many reporters to work under extreme conditions, navigating gang-controlled neighborhoods and increasing threats, The Haitian Times said.
