Impunity - Haiti

WHEREAS journalist Abdias Jean was killed on January 14, 2005, presumably by the police and in reprisal for witnessing the execution of three young people by the National Police WHEREAS the circumstances surrounding the killings of journalists Jean Leopold Dominique (April 3, 2000), Gerad Denoze (December 15, 2000) and Brignol Lindor (December 3, 2001), have yet to be clarified WHEREAS there exists an ongoing climate of threats against journalists, particularly in the countryside, limiting free access by the public to information and promoting self-censorship by journalists; and there is lack of guarantees for news gathering activities in Haiti WHEREAS Principle 4 of the Declaration of Chapultepec declares that: "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 reiterate to Haitian authorities its desire that an in-depth investigation be initiated to find and prosecute those guilty of Jean's murder to urge authorities to not close investigations into the killings of Dominique, Denoze and Brignol Lindor, until the gunmen are arrested and tried to demand guarantees and conditions propitious for the unfettered exercise of journalism in Haiti, and remain vigilant until these assurances are provided.