Haiti

WHEREAS the recent violence in Haiti, which has caused the death of one journalist, injuries to several, and persecution and intimidation against the independent Haitian media, represents an attack on human rights and press freedom WHEREAS given the instability of the internal situation, Haiti is still the object of international attention, and therefore reporters from all over the world must work there WHEREAS the international force operating in Haiti is composed of troops from democratic countries where the rule of law prevails WHEREAS Principle 2 of the Declaration of Chapultepec says, “Every person has the right to seek and receive information, express opinions and disseminate them freely. No one may restrict or deny these rights” WHEREAS Principle 4 of the Declaration of Chapultepec says, “Freedom of expression and of the press are severely limited by murder, terrorism, kidnapping, pressure, intimidation, the unjust imprisonment of journalists, the destruction of facilities, violence of any kind and impunity for perpetrators. Such acts must be investigated promptly and punished harshly” THE MIDYEAR MEETING OF THE IAPA RESOLVES to ask the new Haitian government and the multinational force to safeguard the work of foreign and Haitian journalists and the local media and offer them the necessary protection from those who try to impede their work by violence and intimidation to ask the government to reopen the investigation on the murders of Jean Dominique and other journalists killed while carrying out their work.