Freedom of Expression
Press release R213/22
SRFOE condemns the murder of journalists Frantzsen
Charles and Tayson Lartigue in Haiti and calls on the State to provide security
guarantees for the press
September 23, 2022
Washington D.C. - The
Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression (SRFOE) of the
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) condemns the murder of
journalists Frantzsen Charles and Tayson Lartigue on September 11, 2022 in the
city of Port-au-Prince. The Rapporteur’s Office calls on the State to
investigate, prosecute and punish these acts, considering the practice of
journalism as a possible motive for the crime. Likewise, SRFOE considers it
crucial that the authorities maximize their efforts to provide the press with
basic guarantees so that they can exercise their work freely and safely.
Reporters Frantzsen
Charles and Tayson Lartigue were reportedly killed while reporting on violence
and clashes between criminal gangs in the Cité Soleil neighborhood of Port-au-Prince.
Available information indicates that the bodies may have been burned. Prime
Minister Ariel Henry condemned
the events, which he described as "barbaric acts", and offered his
condolences to the families. As far as the Rapporteur’s Office was able to
learn, Frantzsen Charles was a student at the Centre de Formation en
Communication et en Administration and worked for FS News; and Tayson Lartigue reported through his portal Tijèn Jounalis.
In addition to the
murder of Frantzsen Charles and Tayson Lartigue, in 2022 SRFOE has already
recorded the murder of journalists Maxihen Lazzare, John Wesley Amady and Wilguens Louissaint, making a total of
five crimes against journalists so far this year. Likewise, the Rapporteurship
reported serious aggressions against journalists covering social protests last
February. Also, in the context of the demonstrations that took place on
September 7 in several cities due to the economic situation and the citizen
security crisis, SRFOE received information that at least three journalists of
the Télé Zenith media were injured
due to gunshots and rubber bullets, tear gas and aggressions by the police in
Port-au-Prince. At the same time, a journalist covering cultural issues was
reportedly hit by a projectile in the protests in the city of Cap-Haïtien
(North), allegedly coming from the police.
The IACHR and its
Special Rapporteur’s Office have expressed on previous occasions that the
murder of journalists constitutes the most extreme form of censorship and that
it cannot be tolerated in democratic societies. Likewise, SRFOE has maintained
that violence against journalists not only restricts the right of society to be
informed, but also creates an intimidating and silencing environment in the
press and in society as a whole.
In view of the above
considerations, this Office calls on the authorities to redouble their efforts
in the pursuit of justice and to carry out complete, effective, impartial and
timely investigations into crimes against journalists. In addition, as part of
its duty of prevention, the State should publicly recognize the value and
legitimacy of the work of journalists and instruct security forces on the obligations to respect the
work of the press in contexts of protest and social conflict. As the IACHR has previously stated, the
Haitian authorities have a special obligation to prevent factors that could
generate and deepen human rights violations.
Likewise, the Special
Rapporteur’s Office reiterates its call to the international community to support the efforts
of the Haitian State in the observance and consolidation of democratic institutions,
the rule of law, and compliance with international obligations. This Office
considers it essential that institutional spaces and channels be created in
order to seek solutions to social and political problems through a framework of
democratic dialogue.
Access
the press release in French here.
The Office of the
Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression is an office created by the
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to encourage the hemispheric
defense of the right to freedom of thought and expression, considering its
fundamental role in the consolidation and development of the democratic system.
R213/22