Since 2022, Haitian independent journalists and media outlets have been confronted with many press freedom and freedom of expression violations that often hamper media professionals' ability to perform their work thoroughly and freely.
Since 2022, Haitian independent journalists and media outlets have been confronted with many press freedom and freedom of expression violations that often hamper media professionals' ability to perform their work thoroughly and freely.
There have been several attacks against journalists covering a demonstration against the mismanagement of the security situation by the government.
In December 2024, two journalists, Marckendy Natoux and Jimmy Jean, were murdered, and reporter Jean Christophe has been missing since the armed gang attack on March 31 in the municipality of Mirebalais, in the central part of the country. During the same incident, communicator Roger Claudy Israel was kidnapped in April together with his brother, and released a few weeks later. In this period, a dozen journalists were also injured.
The government, through the ministers of Justice and Public Safety and the Health and Population minister, provided care and financial means to allow for the burial. In addition, the government aided nearly a dozen others wounded in December 2024. The journalists were victims of gang violence in the vicinity of the general hospital, where then health authorities had invited journalists to cover an event.
It is the first time any government has reacted promptly to an aggression against journalists and the media.
On April 20, the gang known as Canaan took over the radio station Radio Pánic FM (97.5 MHz FM) in Mirebalais, renamed the outlet “Taliban FM,” and proclaimed themselves the rulers of Haiti on air. The station's director, Joseph Allan Jr., confirmed that in addition to taking control of the radio, they also “have their own music producers and technicians.”
Since January 2022 to date, 13 journalists have been killed.
Radio Mega's independent broadcast 'Exchange Words' ("Boukante Lapawòl") was directly attacked by the highest political authorities, particularly the Transitional Presidential Council. They have unlawfully and arbitrarily decided to suspend an independent radio broadcast because they don't control it. Still, they've based their liberticidal decision on an unfounded claim that the program's anchor had promoted gangs' propaganda.
Haiti's Transitional Presidential Council had promised, in a meeting with representatives of SOS Journalistes, that the suspension measure was going to be lifted, but President Leslie Voltaire and Fritz Jean have deceived their commitment.
The case of the murder of Jean Dominique has been brought before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. The case of Radio Mega is also part of the complaint. Lawyers appointed by SOS Journalistes and Journalists against Corruption for Human Rights and Democracy (JCHR) have been actively working on the issue. Jean Dominique's case has been blocked for over a decade at the highest Court of Justice (Haiti's Cour de Cassation). The executive and judicial authorities have failed or refused to comply with their legal obligations.
SOS Journalistes Haiti has also taken the initiative to set up an ethics commission to ensure that journalists and the media exercise freedom of the press responsibly. The committee, composed of journalists tasked with monitoring the observance of ethical rules, will regularly issue recommendations, warnings, and even public condemnations in cases of recidivism or acts performed in evident bad faith.
These are other cases of journalists killed since January 2022.
On January 6, 2022, two journalists, Wilguens Louissaint, and Amady John Wesley, were assassinated in Petion-Ville. Louissaint worked for an online media outlet called Tanbou Verité, while Amady worked for another online media outlet called Ecoute FM, based in Montreal, Canada.
On February 23, 2022, Maxiben Lazard was killed by bullets fired by members of a police patrol in the Delmas district in the capital's Metropolitan area.
On September 10, 2022, Frantzsen Charles and Tyson Latigue were killed in the slum of Cité Soleil.
On October 24, 2022, Garry Tesse was killed after his disappearance days before. His mutilated body was found in Foco, outside of the city of Les Cayes, in the Southern region of the country. There is strong evidence that the government-appointed prosecutor, Ronald Richemond, has actively orchestrated Tesse's assassination. Thanks to intense pressure from SOS Journalistes Haiti, a judge had started an investigation into the case. Still, the former prosecutor, thanks to a network of support he had enjoyed from other officials in the justice department, could not move forward. Richemond has been dismissed, and the investigation will resume soon.
On October 30, 2022, Romelson Vilcin was killed by a tear gas canister thrown by a member of the police order maintenance unit outside the central police station in the district of Delmas, in Port-au-Prince.
On November 5, 2022, Fritz Dorilas of Radio Megastar, who co-hosted a talk show on law and justice, was gunned down in Caradeux, district of Tabarre, in Port-au-Prince.
On April 16, 2023, Kersaint Dumesky of Radio Tele UNIREP was assassinated by armed individuals in Carrefour, Port-au-Prince.
On April 24, 2023, Ricot Jean and Pedro Vilsaint were killed in the northern town of Saint-Marc.
