- Gangs control 4/5 of Haiti's capital, targeting journalists covering violence
- 2 reporters killed in December hospital attack, 7+ injured
- Media houses burned, equipment stolen in coordinated March raids
- 57% of journalists now homeless, working from shelters
- 2024 CPJ report ranks Haiti worst for unsolved journalist murders
Jean-Jacques Asperges' family joins 4,200 displaced Haitians sleeping in makeshift camps after gangs destroyed their Port-au-Prince home. Like 83% of local reporters surveyed, he now files stories via smartphone from bullet-scarred shelters. We duck gunfire together,explains radio journalist Dénel Sainton, describing pack reporting tactics adopted after the Christmas Eve massacre.
The Caribbean nation's media landscape faces collapse as armed groups systematically dismantle institutions. When gang members torched Radio et Télévision Caraïbes' historic headquarters in March, flames consumed 75 years of broadcast archives documenting coups and elections. They're erasing Haiti's memory,says UNESCO advisor Marisol Rodríguez, comparing the loss to Baghdad's library destruction during the Iraq War.
Journalists now face dual threats: 61% report police harassment during protests, while gangs circulate social media hit lists. Videographer Jephte Bazil narrowly escaped decapitation after Martissant-born identity nearly got him labeled a gang collaborator. Press vests became bullseyes,notes Committee to Protect Journalists researcher Alicia Walters, referencing Haiti's 300% surge in reporter assaults since 2021.
Regional comparisons reveal alarming trends. While Mexico remains deadlier for journalists numerically, Haiti's 92% impunity rate outpaces all nations. Investigative reporter Gardy Saint-Louis exemplifies the crisis – forced into hiding after attackers riddled his home with 47 bullets in February. Unlike Mexico's protection programs, Haiti offers zero safehouses for threatened media workers.
Digital platforms provide precarious lifelines. After gangs occupied Le Nouvelliste's offices, Haiti's oldest newspaper transitioned online, mirroring 68% of Haitian media now operating virtually. However, internet blackouts plague gang-controlled areas, creating news deserts for 1.2 million residents. We're documenting a collapse the world can't see,says Magik9 radio host Jean Daniel Sénat.
International press groups urge creative solutions. The Haitian Media Collective trains reporters in encryption and trauma care, while UNESCO's $2.3M Journalist Safety Initiative funds portable transmitters for underground radio broadcasts. As Prime Minister Garry Conille pledges media protections, journalists remain skeptical – only 11% trust government safety guarantees in recent surveys.