During the first quarter of 2025, the human rights situation in Haiti remained extremely worrying, marked by mass crimes, kidnappings, and sexual violence.

In its quarterly report on the human rights situation in Haiti (January-March 2025), the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) revealed that between January 1st and March 31, 2025, at least 1,617 people were killed and 580 others were injured in violence involving gangs, vigilante groups, or members of the population, as well as during operations carried out by security forces. Meanwhile, during this same period, at least 161 kidnappings for ransom were recorded, 63% of which occurred in the Artibonite department.

[HL Note : According to a Mexican study conducted by the Citizens’ Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice, the violence-ravaged Haitian metropolis recorded a rate of 139.3 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2024. No other city in the world has such alarming results.]

The first quarter was marked by the intensification of criminal groups’ activities to expand their territorial influence in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area and its surrounding areas.

The municipalities of Delmas and Kenscoff https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-44647-haiti-flash-first-official-report-from-the-battle-of-kenscoff-at-least-262-dead-and-66-wounded-report.html were particularly targeted, with the aim of destabilizing Pétion-ville. Furthermore, these same gangs carried out large-scale attacks against the municipalities of Mirebalais and Saut d’Eau, in the Centre department, to seize control of roads leading to the Dominican Republic, and also to facilitate the escape of more than 515 inmates from Mirebalais prison https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-44597-haiti-flash-mirebalais-under-attack-numerous-victims-more-than-500-escapees-on-the-run-video.html

During the first quarter, the acts of vigilante groups and those of unorganized members of the population, perpetrated within the framework of the movement commonly known as Bwa Kalé, remained a significant source of human rights abuses, resulting in the deaths of at least 189 people accused of gang membership or common law offenses. The report expresses concern about the high number of people killed during security force operations. In these operations, at least 802 people were killed, approximately 20% of whom were members of the population hit by stray bullets while in the streets or in their homes. In addition, there were 65 cases of summary executions allegedly committed by police officers and the Miragoâne government commissioner.

The report also highlights the serious consequences of gang activities on women and children. During this quarter, more than 333 victims of sexual violence were recorded. Furthermore, at least 35 children lost their lives and ten others were injured in gang attacks, police operations, or acts of mob justice. Many other children were victims of trafficking and forced to join gangs.

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