Civic freedoms under threat amid rising political instability and criminal gang violence

Introduction

Haiti has endured decades of overlapping crises—political instability, economic hardship, humanitarian struggles and severe human rights abuses—rooted in its enduring legacy of colonialism and exploitation. The La Saline Massacre of November 2018 starkly marked the intensification of gang violence, initiating a brutal cycle that persists, as tragically, as seen in the October 2024 massacre in Pont-Sondé, where over 115 people were killed. The 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse deepened Haiti’s instability, and by 2023, the absence of elected officials allowed gangs to seize control, spreading terror. However, these gangs act as tools for powerful patrons with deep connections to political parties.

In April 2024, the de facto Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, who had been stranded abroad for months due to gang control over Port-au-Prince’s airport, agreed to resign. His return had been blocked since February 2024, when two major gangs formed an alliance with the stated intent of removing the government from power, further pushing the country into turmoil.

In response, the government declared a state of emergency on 3rd March 2024. Renewed on 4th September 2024, the state of emergency expanded to cover additional areas, including the Artibonite farming region, the Centre department and Nippes, where violence has been particularly severe.

On 11th March, Haitian political and private-sector leaders agreed, in a Caribbean Community (CARICOM)-led meeting, to form a Transitional Presidential Council. On 25th April, Haiti’s nine-member Transitional Presidential Council was inaugurated, assuming provisional executive functions to restore governance and security. Supporting this transitional government, over 120 civil society organisations (CSOs) have endorsed the Policy Framework for an Effective and Equitable Transition, demanding that the rights of Haitian women and girls to full equality and participation in national governance be prioritised. On 3rd June, former UN official and ex-prime minister Garry Conille was appointed interim prime minister, chosen as a compromise leader to guide Haiti toward its planned 2026 elections.

In response to record-high gang violence, the UN Security Council authorised the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in October 2023, extending its mandate until October 2025. The mission aims to support Haiti’s National Police in tackling gang violence. After lengthy negotiations, Kenya agreed to lead, though legal challenges delayed deployment until June 2024. However, the few operations carried out by the security forces and agents of the MSS are still far from being effective.

Corruption, impunity and poor governance, compounded by increasing levels of gang violence, have eroded the rule of law. The human rights and humanitarian consequences are dramatic. From January to June 2024, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) documented that at least 2,652 people were killed due to gang violence, including 2,221 men, 363 women, 52 boys and 16 girls. Another 1,280 were injured. Additionally, gangs kidnapped 893 people—508 men, 360 women, 13 boys and 12 girls. The West Department saw the highest violence levels, with 91 per cent of deaths and 35 per cent of kidnappings. Gender-based violence surged, with 75 per cent of reported cases being sexual violence. By June 2024, gang violence had displaced over 580,000 people, 52 per cent of whom were children—a 60 per cent increase since March 2024.

Against this backdrop of human rights violations and a severe humanitarian crisis, civic space has significantly deteriorated in recent years. Civil society faces complex challenges. Journalists continue to be targeted by criminal gangs and security forces, and the ability of independent CSOs to operate is severely constrained. Peaceful protests are violently repressed.

Peaceful Assembly

Repression of anti-government protests

In early 2024, anti-government protests erupted across multiple regions in Haiti, demanding the prime minister's resignation. These protests included significant participation from opposition supporters and members of the Brigade de Sécurité des Aires Protégées (BSAP), a security force initially established to protect forested areas, who have reportedly joined the opposition's call for governmental change.

According to ACLED, former police officer and rebel leader Guy Philippe’s call for a rebellion to remove Prime Minister Ariel Henry sparked a fivefold increase in demonstrations in January compared to the previous month. Security forces responded to some protests with excessive force, resulting in at least four deaths and 15 injuries, including among journalists.

On 22nd January, unidentified gunmen killed four protesters during a demonstration in Jeremie against former Prime Minister Ariel Henry. In a subsequent incident on 29th January, a protest in Fort Liberté reportedly led to the deaths of two bystanders. That same day in Roseaux, police allegedly shot and killed a protester at close range while firing toward the crowd. On 5th February, protesters in Petit-Goâve set fire to the offices of the National Directorate of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DINEPA) and two agency-owned vehicles. Gunfire during the police intervention injured two people.

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights reported that between 20th January and 7th February 2024, at least 16 people were killed and 29 injured, primarily due to clashes between protesters and police.

Expression

Journalists attacked during protests

In February 2024, at least five journalists sustained injuries while covering anti-government protests (see peaceful assembly). Local journalists’ associations report up to 11 journalists injured, though independent confirmation of additional cases remains pending.

On 7th February in Jérémie, three journalists—Wilborde Ymozan of Tande Koze, Lemy Brutus of Grandans Bèl Depatman and Stanley Belford of Island TV—were injured as police dispersed protesters with tear gas. Reports indicated that a projectile hit Ymozan, Brutus sustained a head injury requiring stitches and Belford suffered a hand injury. Additionally, on 29th January, an unidentified assailant shot Charlemagne Exavier of Radio Tele Lambi in the leg while he was covering a protest in Jérémie.

On 8th February, freelance journalist Jean Marc Jean suffered a serious facial injury when a tear gas canister from the national police’s anti-riot squad struck him in Port-au-Prince. Witnesses suggested he may have lost vision in one eye.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) urged Haitian authorities to investigate these incidents and protect journalists’ right to report on matters of public interest without risking injury.

On 24th July 2024, security agents and local police assaulted journalists and members of Osvatwa Pou Egalite (OPE) as they documented a hospital strike in Les Cayes. The perpetrators confiscated their phones and issued threats. Civil society reported that two members were temporarily relocated to safeguard their lives.

Journalists kidnapped as violence escalates

In late 2023, at least two journalists were kidnapped. On 27th November 2023, Pierre-Fils Saintamour, a presenter for Radio Scoop FM, was kidnapped along with his pregnant wife and two children in Delmas 31, northeast of Port-au-Prince. The family was released on 8th December 2023, following the payment of a substantial ransom. On 15th December 2023, journalist Barnatte Daniel, affiliated with Regard FM, was kidnapped in Pétion-Ville, southeast of Port-au-Prince. He was released on 26th December 2023, after 11 days in captivity.

On 18th March 2024, journalist Lucien Jura was abducted from his residence in Pétion-Ville, near Port-au-Prince. This incident coincided with a broader surge of violence in the area, where armed groups attacked multiple homes, resulting in at least 10 fatalities. In a brief phone call with SOS Journalists’ Secretary-General Guy Delva, Jura confirmed his abduction. Delva described the journalist’s tone as calm and serious. Local sources reported that Jura’s captors subsequently contacted his family. Jura was reportedly released the following day.

Gang leader issues threats over media scrutiny

On 14th September 2024, gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier, head of the G9 Family gang alliance, posted a video on his WhatsApp channel showing off gifts he received from a Reuters journalist, including balaclavas, alcohol and cigarettes. The video, which was later removed, sparked controversy.

In response, Widlore Mérancourt, editor-in-chief of the independent Haitian news site AyiboPost and contributor to the Washington Post, published an article on 18th September 2024 questioning the propriety of providing such gifts to Cherizier, who has been sanctioned by the United States and the United Nations for alleged human rights abuses. Mérancourt’s report highlighted the potential implications of such exchanges with a high-profile gang leader involved in widespread violence and instability in Haiti.

On 25th September 2024, Cherizier released another video in which he directly threatened Mérancourt, warning, “I’m coming for you. Mark my words: there are people you don’t want to mess with. You could be in your bathroom and a car could come crashing into you.” This explicit threat against Mérancourt, has raised significant safety concerns. Mérancourt has since expressed fears for his personal safety and called on the Haitian government and international partners to intervene to protect journalists and address the systemic impunity surrounding threats and violence against media professionals in Haiti.

Running from bullets: journalist flee into exile

On 7th November 2023, journalist Maxo Dorvil, associated with the independent broadcaster Radio Télé Zip, fled Haiti after experiencing multiple targeted attacks near his home in Croix-des-Bouquets, Port-au-Prince. Dorvil said that he had been shot at twice within two weeks: first on 29th September 2023, when two armed men on motorbikes attempted to block his vehicle, and again on 9th October 2023, when a group of armed men reportedly tried to kidnap him, firing into his windshield before he managed to escape. Local police documented these incidents and initiated an initial investigation.

Dorvil attributes the threats to the Mawozo 400 gang, known for extorting residents under threats of violence. He reported that a gang member allegedly contacted him, demanding $1,700 as “protection money.” According to Dorvil, this intimidation forms part of an ongoing pattern dating back to 2022, when he received a threatening letter from gang leader Joseph Wilson. The letter, accompanied by two bullets, warned that Dorvil and his family would be killed if they did not pay.

Independent media under siege

On 25th April 2024, suspected members of armed groups occupied and looted the offices of Le Nouvelliste, Haiti’s oldest independent newspaper, located in Port-au-Prince. This attack forced the newspaper to suspend its print edition and operate solely online. Publisher Max Chauvet attributed the incident to a lack of state protection rather than specific retaliation against the paper’s reporting.

In March 2024, Radio Télévision Caraïbes, a prominent broadcaster in Port-au-Prince, also came under attack. Stray bullets struck the station’s main gate and windows, prompting a relocation as a safety precaution. The station’s director reported no injuries, although the broadcaster has faced operational disruptions due to security threats.

During the same period, the National Press Office, responsible for printing Le Moniteur, Haiti's official government bulletin, also came under attack. This assault highlights the increasing threat to institutions essential to information dissemination and public records in Haiti.

Since April 2024, Radio Télé Galaxie, one of Haiti’s first FM stations, has operated intermittently due to security risks and financial difficulties that have compelled the station to lay off 90 per cent of its staff. As armed group influence spreads, some staff members have been displaced from their homes, with at least one journalist now residing within the station’s premises for safety.

Association

CSO forced to suspend operations amid rising security threats

On 22nd November 2023, the Centre for Analysis and Research on Human Rights (CARDH) suspended its operations due to immediate and severe threats to the safety of its personnel. CARDH’s investigations have exposed criminal activities, political dynamics and economic interests affecting Haiti. In a report published in September, CARDH highlighted the worsening crisis among internally displaced persons in Port-au-Prince.

The organisation’s suspension, prompted by escalating security concerns, reflects the acute risks faced by CSOs operating in high-risk areas, particularly gang-controlled zones. In a statement, CARDH noted the need to cease its activities temporarily until adequate protective measures could be ensured. Two months later, it announced the partial resumption of its activities, set for 31st January 2024.