IACHR
Press Release
IACHR Grants Precautionary Measures in Favor of Victims of La Saline in Haiti
January 29, 2020
Washington, D.C. - The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) issued Resolution 65/2019 on December 31, 2019, to grant precautionary measures in favor of members of the La Saline Victims Committee, in Haiti, in the belief that they face a serious, urgent risk of suffering irreparable damage.
The Commission found that beneficiaries continued to be subjected to threats, harassment, and other acts of violence, for filing complaints and for further pursuing their demands for justice for the events that allegedly took place on November 13, 2018. On that day, scores of people were allegedly murdered or injured in an attack perpetrated by armed groups in the neighborhood of La Saline, in Haitian capital Port-au-Prince.
After assessing the available information, and given the statements collected during the on-site visit to Haiti conducted by the IACHR on December 16–21, 2019, the Commission found that there was sufficient justification to enforce the requirements stated in Article 25 of its Rules of Procedure. It consequently asked Haiti to: a) adopt any measures necessary to protect the rights to life and personal integrity of members of the La Saline Victims Committee; b) take any measures necessary to ensure that beneficiaries can do their work as human rights defenders without being subjected to threats, harassment, or any other acts of violence for doing that work; c) come to an agreement with beneficiaries and their representatives regarding any measures that need to be taken; and d) report on any actions taken to investigate the events that gave rise to the adoption of this precautionary measure, to prevent such events from happening again in the future.
The fact that this precautionary measure has been granted and its adoption by the State do not entail a prejudgment on a potential petition that may be filed before the Inter-American system to allege violations of rights protected by the American Convention on Human Rights and other applicable instruments.
A principal, autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), the IACHR derives its mandate from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission has a mandate to promote respect for and to defend human rights in the region and acts as a consultative body to the OAS in this area. The Commission is composed of seven independent members who are elected in an individual capacity by the OAS General Assembly and who do not represent their countries of origin or residence.
No. 017/20