Haiti’s right to information must be protected, say 90 Haitian journalists and RSF

More than 90 Haitian journalists and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) call on the international community and Haiti’s new Transitional Presidential Council to give the right to information a central place in the search for a solution to the crisis that has been intensifying in Haiti in recent months.

As the right to information is an essential resource, Haiti’s journalists and news media must be protected so that the country does not become an information desert, RSF and Haitian journalists say in a joint appeal issued on 16 April.

Media personnel have been directly impacted by both an unprecedented wave of gang violence and a social, economic and political crisis that has been growing since last December.

Six Haitian journalists have been killed in connection with their work since 2022. Reporters are constantly exposed to threats, attacks or abduction. The mounting violence is carried out with complete impunity in the absence of the rule of law. As criminal gangs extend their control over the capital, Port-au-Prince, journalists are restricted to a few neighbourhoods where they can still work, albeit not without risks. Many have fled the country.

Most of the journalists who have signed the appeal to the international community and the Transitional Presidential Council are based in Port-au-Prince or adjoining municipalities. Some work for national media outlets such as Le Nouvelliste, Haïti24 and AlterPresse. Others are freelancers. They work for print media, online media, TV and radio. Many of them belong to the Association of Haitian Journalists (AJH). Together, and with RSF, they are sounding the alarm.

It is hard to imagine a more complex environment for journalism than the one we know in Haiti today. The historic challenges that the media face in this country have been compounded by the impact of violence that has reached an unprecedented level in recent months, with journalists attacked, kidnapped and prevented from moving about by gang activity, while exposed to a generally precatious economic situation. Haiti's entire news media ecosystem is in danger, even though reporting is more essential than ever for the world to know what is happening in Haiti. Journalism should occupy a central place in discussions on ending the crisis and should be high on the international cooperation agenda

Artur Romeu

Director of RSF’s Latin America bureau

Haiti is experiencing an unprecedented crisis. Since President Jovenel Moïse’s assassination in July 2021, the country has been wracked by extreme political instability and widespread gang violence. On 12 April, one month after Prime Minister Ariel Henry said he was ready to resign, the creation of a Transitional Presidential Council was officially announced with the mission of restoring security and holding elections by February 2026. The council, whose members have not yet been appointed, is supposed to name a prime minister who will then form a government.

Read the letter signed by RSF and 90 Haitian journalists

Protect Haiti’s journalists, the right to information is a vital resource!

The world needs to know what is happening in Haiti. For this, Haiti needs independent, reliable and diverse journalism, and an environment in which media professionals can work in complete safety.

But journalism in Haiti is now in a critical state. While the challenges to journalism are not new, rarely in our country’s recent history have we seen such a decline in working and living conditions.

We, Haitian journalists, live in constant fear of being attacked, kidnapped or murdered. Since 2022, at least six of our colleagues have been killed in connection with their work. Others have been attacked, injured, or taken hostage while covering protests, amid frequent armed clashes between the various gangs and the police. We, journalists, are subjected to these abuses with complete impunity, in the absence of the rule of law.

We, Haitian journalists, point out that entire neighbourhoods of the capital, Port-au-Prince, have become inaccessible. These districts, which are forbidden due to their control by armed groups, are becoming more and more numerous.

We, journalists, also sound the alarm about the organisational consequences of the rampant criminal violence – infrastructural decline, the unavailability of training, the financial fragility of media outlets and the precarious nature of the material conditions needed for journalists to work.

Doing our job has become so dangerous that a daily act of heroism is needed to keep going. In view of the huge risks, censoring ourselves, abandoning journalism or fleeing the country increasingly present themselves as our only survival strategies.

 In this multidimensional crisis afflicting our country, journalism and the right to information are nonetheless essential. This is why we appeal to the international community, aid agencies, international organisations and the Transitional Presidential Council to give support for journalists and the media ecosystem a central place in the discussions on a solution to the crisis. The world needs to know what is happening in Haiti and Haiti needs journalism more than ever.

Signed by:

• André FRASME, head of the editorial section at Télévision Nationale d'Haïti

• Angeline MICHEL

• Anicile MAÎTRE, journalist at RadioMagik 9

• Célou FLÉCHER, CEO/ editor in chief at LE FACTEUR HAÏTI

• Césaire MICHELSON, reporter for Le Nouvelliste

• Corentin FOHLEN, freelance photo-journalist broadcasting on Divergence

• Daniel SAINT HILAIRE

• Danio DARIUS, RadioMagik 9, Le Nouvelliste

• Danise Davide LÉJUSTAL, journalist at Radio Métronome/Le Nouvelliste’s correspondent in Jacmel/president of the Journalists Club in the South-East

• Denor SEVERE, Radio Minustah FM

• Eddy JAZIL, CEO Radio Super Sonic and journalist with Radio Télé Métropole

• Emmanuel HUBERT

• Ésau CESAR, Radio Eclair

• Fabiola Carmel WELLINGTON, Dofen News Radio

• Fedner CONFIDENT, journalist with Télévision Nationale d'Haïti

• Fegentz Canes PAUL, Radio Capital FM

• Félix VALERY, Le Nouvelliste correspondent

• François JEAN

• Frantz DUVAL, editor-in-chief of the daily Le Nouvelliste, Ticket Magazine in Haiti director and RadioMagik 9 director

• Gabrielle RENE

• Georges Emmanuel ALLEN, Haïti 24

• Georges Venel REMARAIS, director-general of Radio Solidarité and the Agence Haïtienne de Presse (AHP)/president of the Association of Independent Media of Haiti (AMIH)

• Germina PIERRE LOUIS, Le Nouvelliste, RadioMagik 9

• Gotson PIERRE, director of the AlterPresse/AlterRadio platform

• Guerking SOUFFRANT, Passion Info Plus

• Guerrier DIEUSSEUL, RadioTVCaraibes

• Guivintz MAXINEAU, director of programming at Radio Fantastic FM 95.7

• Guyno DUVERNÉ, Radio Mega correspondent

• Iheriston AUGUSTE

• Jacky MARC

• Jacques DESROSIERS, general secretary of the Association of Haitian Journalists

• Jacques Stevenson SAINT-LOUIS, Radio Educative at the Ministry of National Education and Professional Training

• Jean Alexandro Richarson JOURDAN

• Jean Allens MACAJOUX, RTV Galaxie

• Jean Daniel SENAT, journalist with Le Nouvelliste and RadioMagik 9

• Jean Fouchard DANGER, RTéléPacific

• Jean Gérard PIERRE, reporter with the newspaper L'Union

• Jean Israël VALESTIN, Radio Signal FM

• Jean Junior R. Celestin, Le Nouvelliste and radio Magik 9

• Jean Michel CADET, Journal Le Matin

• Jean Pharès JEROME, RSF correspondent in Haiti

• Jean Philippe MACEANT, journalist with Radio Méga

• Jean-Wickens MÉRONÉ

• Jeannot ANTOINE

• Jimmy MAXI, director of Max News

• John-Becker JEAN, Radio Réfénce FM editor and reporter

• Jonas MONTES

• Jose FLÉCHER, Le Nouvelliste

• Judex VELIMA, Radio Télé Espace

• Junior JORDANY VERDIEU, Le Nouvelliste correspondent

• Juno JEAN BAPTISTE, Port-au-Prince Post

• Kenly VILSAINT, Télévision Nationale d'Haïti

• Kensley MARCEL

• Kervens Adam PAUL, Le Nouvelliste

• Kéthia Marcellus

• Kettia JEAN PIERRE, Radio web Diaspora Inter

• Léonel DORCILIEN, Radio Télé Ginen correspondent in Cap-Haïtien

• Lionel ÉDOUARD, Télévision Nationale d'Haïti reporter/presenter

• Louinel JEAN LOUIS, Radio Télé Signal

• Lubrun GODSON, journalist with the HAITI Press Network

• Manuel YVES, news director at Radio Télé Scoop

• Mapouse ANTOINE

• Marie André BELANGE, Radio Vision2000

• Marie Chrisnette SAINT GEORGES, weather forecaster

• Marie Lucie BONHOMME, TELEPLURIEL co-founder/Radio Vision 2000 presenter

• Marie Michele MONTAS

• Marie Raphaëlle PIERRE, Radio Ibo

• Marie Smelck Fabienne VILTUD

• Martine ISAAC, Haitian Women Journalists Solidarity (SOFEHJ)

• Michel JOSEPH, Radio Télévision Caraïbes

• Milo MILFORT, Enquet'Action

• Nancy CONSTANT, Network of Haitian Community Radio Women (REFRAKA)

• Noclès DEBREUS, editorial secretary at Le National newspaper

• Peterson JEAN GILLES

• Pierre Lunick REVANGE, SIGNAL FM reporter

• Robenson SANON, RadioMagik 9 reporter

• Roberson ALPHONSE, head of the national news section at the daily Le Nouvelliste/news director at RadioMagik 9

• Sabine JEAN, TNH

• Salomond Paul Ludjet FENELUS

• Sheilla Angélique LOUIS, Radio Métropole

• Sophia CHERY, International Francophone Press Union

• Sylvestre Fils DORCILUS, Haïti Scopie

• Therno N. Alisthène SENELUS

• Théroné Jido

• Valéry DAUDIER, Le Nouvelliste

• Violine THELUSMA

• Wandy CHARLES, head of communications at the National Identification Office (ONI)

• Wilgins VALESCOT, Réalité Info CEO

• Yves Paul LEANDRE, Haiti Press Network (HPN)

• Yvon SEIDE, Radio Télé Signal