Mass killings; Multiple attacks against journalists and aid workers

This update covers developments relating to the freedoms of expression, association and assembly in Haiti from 15th October 2024 to 31st March 2025. On 4th December 2024, Haiti was labeled a “country of concern” in our yearly People Power Under Attack report.

GENERAL

Haiti continues to face deep political, security and humanitarian crises, and the chaos caused by gang violence continues. On 27th March 2025, former Jamaican Prime Minister and member of the CARICOM Eminent Persons Group trying to mediate in the Haitian political crisis, warned that Haiti was “perilously close” to being a failed State.

On 8th November 2024, Haiti’s transitional government ousted their prime minister, Garry Conille, after five months in office. The government replaced him with businessman Alix Didier Fils-Aimé. Fils-Aimé is Haiti’s third appointed prime minister in three years.

On 11th November 2024, gangs fired bullets at commercial planes approaching the runway of the international airport, causing the decision to close the airport for a month. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration announced a ban on U.S. commercial and cargo flights travelling to Port-au-Prince and other areas and extended it until 8th September 2025 because of the escalating gang violence, leaving many people stranded in and outside the country.

On 11th March 2025, the UN expert on the human rights situation in Haiti, William O’Neill, expressed that “the risk of the capital falling under gang control is palpable”, as it controls about 85% of Port-au-Prince. The country’s National Police, which is severely underfunded and understaffed, is working alongside a U.N.-backed mission led by Kenyan police - itself also underfunded and understaffed - to help quell gang violence. On 21st October 2024, Leslie Voltaire, the head of Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council, formally requested that this international security mission be converted to a fully-fledged UN peacekeeping operation. On 25th February 2025, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres ruled out transitioning the multinational security support mission (MSS) in Haiti into a UN peacekeeping force but recommended that the Security Council establish logistical and financial support from the United Nations for the multinational mission supporting the police.

Mass killings by gangs

According to numbers released by the United Nations, more than 5,600 people were killed across Haiti in 2024, and the activity of gangs has left more than one million people homeless. According to Crisis Watch, between October 2024 and February 2025, gangs have carried out at least four massacres, with the ensuing loss of around 400 lives.

On 20th November 2024, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said that “at least 150 people have been killed, 92 injured and about 20,000 forced to flee their homes over the past week”. He added that at least 55% of the deaths resulted from exchanges of fire between gang members and police.

Between 6th and 7th December 2024, mass killings took place in the Wharf Jérémie neighbourhood in Cité Soleil. According to Haiti’s National Human Rights Defense Network (RNDDH), the gang leader Micanor ordered the killing of elderly residents in this area over suspicions that witchcraft had made his child sick. The prime minister’s office reported 180 people dead because of a gang attack. Between 6th and 11th December 2024, ACLED recorded 242 fatalities.

On 27th January 2025, the Viv Ansanm gang coalition attacked the town of Kenscoff, killing at least 40 people, including pastors, teachers and children.

On 24th February 2025, an armed group attacked the Delmas 33 neighborhood in Port-Au-Prince in which at least 20 people were killed.

More than a million people internally displaced and more than five million suffer from acute hunger

On 14th January 2025, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) released the data covering the year 2024, revealing that 1,041,000 people were internally displaced in Haiti. According to the organisation, the majority of the displaced originate from the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince and are seeking refuge in Haiti’s provinces.

According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification initiative, nearly half of the Haitian population (48%) were facing high levels of acute food insecurity between August 2024 and February 2025. According to this multi-stakeholder initiative, the situation is not expected to improve during the next four months as humanitarian food assistance is not expected to meet the needs of the population.

Deportation increase and end of the U.S. Parole Process for Haitians

According to the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti (IJDH), foreign states’ removals of Haitians seeking refuge at their borders increased between June and November 2024. On 2nd October 2024, the Dominican Republic targeted to remove 10,000 Haitians per week. Many allegations of human rights violations surfaced regarding these deportations, ranging from unauthorised home raids to racial profiling to deporting of breastfeeding mothers and unaccompanied minors.

In October 2024, according to a spokesperson for Haiti’s Support Group for Returnees and Refugees, 258 Haitians were deported from the US and 231 more were deported from Turks & Caicos, Jamaica and the Bahamas. Activists and human rights organisations expressed their concern about “draconian” deportation measures and argue that refugees who are returned to Haiti cannot make it back home because of the gangs, and join the thousands left homeless by the continuing conflict.

On 22nd March 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security terminated the parole programmes granted to certain nationals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela and their immediate family members (the so-called CHNV Parole Processes). The Trump administration’s decision to revoke the legal status of these migrants could make many vulnerable to deportation if they choose to remain in the U.S. The entry programme for Haitians had been launched in January 2023 under former President Joe Biden and allowed citizens of these countries to enter the United States by humanitarian parole for up to two years. Through November 2024, 213,200 Haitians had been granted parole. The administration’s decision is being challenged in federal courts.

Rise in gender-based violence

On 25th November 2024, Human Rights Watch warned about the escalation of sexual violence in the country. Between January 2024 and October 2024, the Gender-Based Violence sub-cluster reported 5,400 cases of gender-based violence, with 72% involving sexual violence allegedly committed mostly by members of criminal groups. Gender-based violence is used as a tool by armed groups, for destabilising, holding territory, punishing people standing up to them, extorting for funds that sustain them, or recruiting.

Similarly, in its 12th February 2025 report on the impact of gangs on children, Amnesty International documented that girls and young women have been collectively raped by gang members and infected with sexually transmitted diseases.

Victims of gender-based violence subsequently face limited or nonexistent access to protection and care service.

Gang violence on children

On 12th February 2025, Amnesty International issued a report on the impact of gangs on the lives of Haitian children. Between May and October 2024, 112 people were interviewed, including on the ground in Port-au-Prince. The report finds that children are being subjected to a litany of human rights abuses including recruitment into gangs, rape and other forms of sexual violence, abductions, killings and injuries. The report also notes the disproportionate impact on children with disabilities.

According to data released by UNICEF on 24th November 2024, the number of children in Haiti recruited by armed groups soared by 70% in one year. The children interviewed by Amnesty International said they “had no choice, and that their involvement was predominantly out of hunger or fear.” Children are forced to carry weapons, spy on police and rival gangs and run errands for gunmen.

Provisional Electoral Council is complete, preparation for elections can move on

On 13th December 2024, the last two members of the provisional electoral council were installed, after a contentious process: Yves Marie Edouard was appointed as the representative for the women’s organisations sector, and Rose Thérèse Magalie Georges was appointed as the representative for the human rights sector. 44% of the advisers are women. The mandate of the Provisional Electoral Council is to organise the constitutional referendum in order to provide the country with a new Constitution; prepare a draft Electoral Decree, as well as the calendar for the next elections, and to organise the elections.

On 17th and 18th December, the Human Rights Service of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti supported the Institut Haïtien des Droits de l’Homme in organising a forum on the electoral process and the importance of ensuring human rights during the upcoming elections, in which 26 civil society organisations, political parties and public institutions participated.

On 29th January 2025, during a visit to the French Elysée, the president of the Transitional Presidential Council promised to hold elections in November 2025 and to inaugurate an elected government by February 2026. On 7th March 2025, the Transitional Presidential Council tasked to prepare eventual presidential elections swore in Fritz Alphone Jean as its new leader. The Crisis Group is of the opinion that “conducting elections under current security conditions is unfeasible”.

On 24th March 2025, civil society organisations were invited to discuss the referendum and electoral process with members of the Provisional Electoral Council. Representatives of the Je Klere Foundation, SKL, the Protestant sector, farmers and the ‘Madan Sara’, among others, unanimously rejected the idea of a referendum, and propose instead that certain articles of the Constitution be amended.

EXPRESSION

Journalists attacked and killed by gangs

On 5th November 2024, the home of Lookens Jean-Baptiste, a reporter with radio Tropic FM, was burned, probably by gang members. He told the Committee to Protect Journalists that gang members think journalists “all have connections with the police”.

On 11th November 2024, journalist Wandy Charles and his family were shot by gang members outside their home in a suburb of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Wandy Charles is the editor-in-chief of the independent local media outlet Vant Bèf Info. He was wearing his “Press” flak jacket right before the attack, but removed it out of fear of being targeted for his work.

On 24th December 2024, journalists Marckendy Natoux and Jimmy Jean were fatally shot in downtown Port-au-Prince while covering the reopening of Haiti’s General Hospital (Hôpital de l’Université d’État d’Haïti) and other journalists were injured. Several journalists had gathered in downtown Port-au-Prince to cover the anticipated reopening of Haiti’s General Hospital, which gangs had pillaged a year before. Shortly after they arrived, gunmen opened fire. Johnson “Izo” André, a gang leader part of the Viv Ansanm coalition of gangs, posted a video on social media claiming responsibility. He said he had not authorised the hospital’s reopening.

Journalist Marckendy Natoux worked for Voice of America’s Creole service, the U.S. Agency for Global Media and the Boston Caribbean Network, among others. Jimmy Jean was a 44-year-old father of six who worked as a reporter and host for the online news outlet Moun Afe Bon.

Journalists Petyon Robens, Réginald Baltazar, Miracle Velondie, Florise Deronvil, Jean-Jack Aspèges, Jocelyn Justin and Rosemond Vernet were injured in the heavy fire from the gang members.

The Association of Haitian Journalists called on the authorities to take swift action to provide all necessary assistance to the injured journalists and the relatives of those murdered and to act with circumspection in their decision-making to avoid exposing the lives of journalists and any other citizens accompanying them on their travels to danger. The journalists shot during this attack had been invited by government to attend the event. After the shooting, the appearance of the Health Minister Duckenson Lorthé Blema was cancelled. On 27th December 2024, Health Minister Duckenson Lorthé Blema was dismissed.

Journalist kidnapped and tortured

On 3rd December 2024, journalist Valéry Pierre was kidnapped in Pont-Vincent, in the city center of Petite-Rivière de l’Artibonite. He was held captive by gang members during 45 days with two other women and tortured. He was severely beaten and burnt. He was released on 18th January 2025. According to the UN Integrated Office in Haiti, 431 people were kidnapped between October and December 2024.

Murderers of journalists in Haiti go unpunished

On 30th October 2024, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued its yearly “Impunity Index”, listing countries where journalist murders go unpunished. Haiti ranked as the world’s top offender, due the unsolved murders of seven journalists that occurred between 1st September 2014 and 31st August 2024.

Attacks against media outlets

On 12th March 2025, the premises of Radio Télévision Caraïbes (RTVC) in Port-au-Prince were looted and set on fire by armed groups. The media management and staff were not present as they had been forced to abandon this building for a year. According to RSF information, the fire was deliberately set and “comes as a devastating, symbolic blow against one of the most influential media outlets in the country”.

On 12th March 2025, the Radio Mélodie F.M. was vandalised. According to SOS Journalistes, this act is a message of intimidation rooted in widespread impunity.

During the night of 15th to 16th March 2025, individuals broke down the Télé Pluriel main gate in Delmas and then set fire to the premises.

Suspension of radio show

On 22nd November 2024, the National Council of Telecommunications (CONATEL) suspended the Radio Mega show “Boukante Lapawòl” for allegedly promoting gang propaganda. The decision came after airtime was given to gang leaders from the Viv Ansanm coalition during the show. According to Radio Mega owner, the gang leader Jimmy ‘Barbecue’ Chérizier called into the show without prior arrangement. The regulatory body suspended the show without giving Radio Mega the opportunity to explain the incident or defend itself legally.

ASSOCIATION

Impossible work conditions for Doctors Without Borders

On 11th November 2024, a Doctors Without Borders (MSF) ambulance transporting three people with gunshot wounds was ambushed in Port-au-Prince and forced to proceed with a transfer to a public hospital. Acording to MSF, the police escorted the ambulance to Hôpital La Paix. There, law enforcement officers and members of a self-defence group surrounded the ambulance, slashed the tires, and tear-gassed the personnel inside the vehicle. The wounded patients were taken away and at least two of them were executed.

On 20th November 2024, MSF announced that it had suspended activities in Port-au-Prince, due to a series of threats by police forces, among which were threats of death and rape made against its staff, and following the 11th November 2024 attack.

On 11th December 2024, after 22 days of suspension, MSF partially resumed medical activities in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, but not its transportation of patients.

On 20th January 2025, after months of assurances from all parties regarding the protection of MSF’s medical mission, the Turgeau hospital was reopened. In February 2025, MSF said it conducted over 2,500 medical consultations and more than 400 physiotherapy sessions at the emergency centre. In March 2025, armed groups moved within metres of the hospital, threatening to turn it into a frontline. On 15th March 2025, MSF decided to suspend their activities there. As they started to evacuate the staff, four MSF vehicles were fired upon, despite the convoy being identified, and coordinated with authorities. Staff suffered minor injuries.

Human rights defender attacked by police officers

According to information gathered by ACLED, on 23rd November 2024, in Gonaives, Artibonite, a lawyer and human rights defender was attacked by four police officers at the Bienac 23 area. The attack was described in local media as an assassination attempt.

Impact of USAID cuts

The pause on U.S. foreign assistance programmes decided by the Trump Administration are hitting especially hard in Haiti, one of poorest country in the world. According to one analysis, the freeze could halt some $330 million in outstanding commitments to ongoing programmes. According to this same analysis, the largest Haitian recipient is the SEROvie Foundation, which provides services to at-risk youth, especially regarding the treatment of HIV/AIDS. Another affected project is the one led by the evangelical organisation World Relief.

On 4th February 2025, the United Nations warned that more than $13 million in U.S. funding for the international security force helping fight armed gangs in Haiti had been frozen under the 90-day pause on foreign aid. On 6th February 2025, the U.S. State Department said that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had approved waivers on $40.7 million in foreign assistance to the Haitian National Police and the security mission.

Missionaries of Charity nuns’ compound looted by gang

On 26th October 2024, armed gang members looted and then burned a Missionaries of Charity convent and its adjacent aid dispensary in the country’s capital.

PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY

Protests against insecurity after massacre in Port-Sondé

On 3rd and 4th October 2024, armed gangs opened fire on the inhabitants of Pont-Sondé. According to the city’s mayor, the death toll rose to 115. According to Haiti’s National Human Rights Defense Network, gunmen had accused the people of Pont-Sondé of colluding with members of a self-defence group known as “The Coalition” to limit gang activity.

In the weeks following this massacre, various demonstrations took place, accusing the security forces of inaction. Despite rumours circulating about the likelihood of a massacre in Pont-Sondé (the Gran Grif leader announced the planned incursion), the security forces were largely absent.

- On 7th November 2024, a thousand people marched on the national road number 1 to ask for the full dismantling of the two main armed groups active in their region. The march was organised by the “Collectif du 3 octobre”, a collective of various civil society organisations of the Pont-Sondé community.

- On 22nd November 2024, a thousand citizens protested in Saint-Marc to ask for the dismantling of the most powerful gang in the region, the Grand grif de Savien. The protest took place about fifty days after the Pont Sondé massacre.

- On 3rd December 2024, more than a thousand residents of Pont-Sondé gathered in front of the sub-police station of Pat Chwal for a sit-in to demand the dismantling of the base of the Grand Grif de Savien.

Public gatherings banned in Pétion-Ville

On 27th November 2024, the municipality of Pétion-Ville banned from the streets a religious activity organised by the parish of Notre-Dame de l'Immaculée Conception. The ban came after dozens of alleged gang members from the ‘Viv Ansanm’ coalition were intercepted nearby.

On 5th February 2025, the same municipality announced that all parades by foot bands and musical groups would be banned during the carnival period this year.

Protests against insecurity

On 22nd December 2024, several hundred residents held a march in Hinche, Centre, to demand proper governance and against rising insecurity. The action was called by the Hinche League of Pastors and other civil society organisations.

Protester killed and journalists attacked during protest in Port-au-Prince

On 19th March 2025, residents and displaced persons in the camps of the Canapé-Vert area in Port-au-Prince protested to demand protection against gangs. The protesters attempted to reach the Prime Minister’s office and wielded machetes. Police used tear gas and live ammunition to disperse the crowd. One protester, 35-year-old Élibert Idovic, died of his injuries at the hospital. He was a member of the Canapé-Vert vigilance brigade.

While trying to report on this event, at least 10 journalists were physically attacked, according to the Haitian Online Media Association (CMEL). Jephté Bazil, Sonsonn Cazeau, René Celias, Moïse Beaucejour, Peter Lyonelson Biamby, Herby Val, Wilkenson Germain, Junior Jean, Rudy Éveillard and Patrick were injured and their material was taken away.

Teachers’ strikes and students’ protests

On 6th January 2025, teachers went on strike in several cities: Cap-Haïtien, Limonade, Port-au-Prince, Jérémie, Gonaïves, Miragoâne and Jacmel. They demand salary adjustments to address disparities between communes and the rising cost of living in Haiti. This strike causes the schools to remain closed. This pushes students to protest, demanding the reopening of the schools and the return of the teachers. On 14th January 2025, students marched in Cap-Haïtien. On 15th January 2025, hundreds of secondary school pupils demonstrated in Jacmel. On 20th January 2025, students marched in Limonade holding sheets of papers, demanding the return of their teachers too.