(2002-12) Situation of Human Rights in Haiti: Report of the Independent Expert (E/CN.4/2003/116)
Summary — Report by independent expert Louis Joinet to the UN Commission on Human Rights after his first mission to Haiti (22-29 September 2002), warning of deteriorating citizen security, rising targeted violence against journalists and opponents, and the erosion of the rule of law.
Key Findings
- Citizen security had deteriorated sharply since 2001, with everyday violence rising in Cité Soleil and Gonaïves. Targeted violence against journalists, political opponents, and human rights defenders was curtailing freedom of expression. The justice system remained weak and impunity pervasive. The independent expert framed arms decommissioning and the fight against impunity as top priorities for technical cooperation.
Full Description
This December 2002 report to the fifty-ninth session of the UN Commission on Human Rights presents the findings of independent expert Louis Joinet following his first visit to Haiti, from 22 to 29 September 2002. Joinet notes a marked deterioration since his predecessor's last visit in 2001. He identifies citizen security as the central concern, pointing to a sharp rise in everyday violence in areas such as Cité Soleil and Gonaïves, and argues that fighting insecurity, ending impunity, and implementing arms decommissioning must be the priority. He documents an upsurge in targeted violence curtailing freedom of opinion and expression, affecting journalists, the political opposition, and human rights defenders. The report reviews the weakness of the justice system and prison conditions, the politicization of the police, and the stalled electoral and institutional crisis following the contested 2000 elections. It sets out recommendations for technical cooperation and human rights assistance, framed within the Commission's advisory-services mandate, and stresses that international support should be conditioned on tangible progress by Haitian authorities.
Notes
UN document E/CN.4/2003/116; original recovered from UN ODS; ayitistats wave B