Statement from OAS Electoral Mission in Haiti

3 April 2000

The OAS Electoral Observation Mission expresses its outrage at the assassination this morning of the Director of Radio Haïti-Inter, Jean Léopold Dominique and Jean-Claude Louissaint, the radio’s janitor. The Mission categorically condemns this apparently pre-meditated crime executed in cold blood and calls on the authorities to open a serious enquiry as soon as possible.

The Mission considers this murder, perpetrated during the electoral campaign, a strike against freedom of the press in Haiti, as well as against democracy. The Mission stresses that the authorities should shed light on this crime as soon as possible, and those responsible should be tried and punished.

The Electoral Observation Mission offers its condolences to the families of Jean Dominique and Jean-Claude Louissaint, as well as to their colleagues at Radio Haïti-Inter and all the Haitian press corps.