UN Denounces Murder of Journalists in Haiti

United Nations condemns impunity for crimes against journalists in Haiti. May. 4, 2022.

Published 4 May 2022

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Crimes against Haitian journalists remain in impunity in the absence of a response from the authorities.

The United Nations Integrated Office denounced Tuesday the murder of 19 journalists in Haiti in 2000. Three occurred between January and March this year, calling on the Government to condemn the crimes.

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According to the United Nations (UN), the safety of those who exercise the profession of journalists is a matter of concern since the press plays an essential role in society and is responsible for providing good information, allowing free and open debate on the state of affairs and the changes to be made in society.

"In Haiti, the insecurity of journalists and the expected impunity may favor the violation of many human rights, in addition to freedom of expression and freedom of the press, as well as encourage other forms of criminality," the UN said, urging the public authorities to do everything necessary to prevent murders and punish criminals, aggressions and threats against this community.

In January, journalists Wilguens Loussaint and Amady John Wesley were shot by armed gangs operating in the Laboule 12 slum southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital, while working on a report on rising insecurity. Lazarre Maximilien was also killed, apparently by police, last February while covering a demonstration by textile workers demanding wage increases.

#HAITI: According to the United Nations Integrated Office, Haiti's crisis includes the murder of 19 journalists since 2000, three of them this year, which has led to the Office calling for local authorities to act accordingly, since these crimes systematically remain unpunished. pic.twitter.com/EAa14uRx2t
— CaribbeanNewsNetwork (@caribbeannewsuk) May 4, 2022

Reporter Diego Charles was massacred in June 2021 along with a score of people in Delmas, and two years earlier, at least two other journalists were killed amid the country's political crisis, while others were assaulted or threatened with death.

Although the police announced the opening of investigations in most cases, the authorities have failed to prosecute the crimes.