One journalist murdered, another shot at and another arrested and beaten by the police are the latest victims of a wave of violence against the press in Haiti, a country where eight journalists have been killed so far this year. At the same time, the social-political crisis and poverty are slowly suffocating the Haitian media.
In the first month of 2022, Latin America took the lead as the deadliest region for the press, with seven journalists killed: four in Mexico, two in Haiti and one in Honduras.
Two journalists were killed by gang members in Haiti on Jan. 6. A police report said their bodies had been recovered with "large-caliber bullet wounds," according to AP. Several organizations demand thorough investigations.
The spike of public protests that sometimes turned violent has not been met with enough preparation by Latin American journalists who find themselves in the midst of confrontations, experts say.
A Haitian journalist was hit by a gunshot as police fired live ammunition during a protest in Port-au-Prince on Sept. 30, according to the radio station where he works, Radio Sans Fin.
The car of Haitian journalist Kendi Zidor, reporter and columnist for newspaper Le National, was shot several times in Port-au-Prince, according to local media.
Vehicles at Radio TV Ginen were set on fire on June 10 and the attack was denounced by Rospide before his death, according to AlterPresse.
Haitian journalist Robenson Sanon was hit by a bullet in his forearm while covering protests in Port-au-Prince on Feb. 13.
Haitian National Police (PNH, for its initials in French) said on April 4 that it has detained two people allegedly related to the disappearance of photojournalist Vladjimir Legagneur who was last seen on March 14.
Five years after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti, the country's journalists face threats, harassment, and silencing by government supporters and, on occasion, the president himself. While journalism had an urgent and imperative role in the aftermath of the earthquake, Haitian journalists have maintained a steady criticism of reconstruction efforts and, as a result, have been vilified by authorities.