Killing with Impunity: State-Sanctioned Massacres in Haiti

By The Harvard Law School International Human Rights Clinic

Over the course of President Jovenel Moïse’s presidency, Haitian civil society has raised alarm that armed gangs are carrying out heinous, state-sanctioned attacks against civilians in impoverished neighborhoods in Port-au-Prince. The scale, pattern, and context of the attacks indicate that they may amount to crimes against humanity. The attacks have taken place in the context of an escalating political crisis. President Moïse’s rule has become increasingly authoritarian and has turned to repression to quell dissent. Since 2018, massive public protests calling for government accountability and Moïse’s resignation have periodically shut down the country. The government has responded to the protests with aggressive measures, including criminalizing common non-violent protest tactics and increasing illegal surveillance of opponents. Targeted assassinations and threats against government critics have been carried out with impunity. During the four years of Moïse’s presidency, human rights observers have documented at least ten brutal attacks in impoverished parts of the capital where opposition against his administration runs strong. Three attacks—in La Saline, Bel-Air, and Cité Soleil—are particularly well-documented and severe. These three attacks offer insights into the means and methods used to carry out the assaults, and the ways in which state actors have supported the orchestration and execution of the attacks. When viewed together, they reveal a pattern of state-sanctioned violence, human rights abuses, and refusal to hold perpetrators accountable that likely amounts to crimes against humanity.

Cambridge, MA: Harvard Law School International Human Rights Clinic, 2021. 57p.