(2023-12) Quarterly Report on the Human Rights Situation in Haiti (October-December 2023)
Summary — This report by the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) details the human rights situation from October to December 2023. It highlights a significant increase in victims of criminal violence, the spread of gang activity, and the continued use of sexual violence. The report also addresses the impact on children, the judicial system's challenges, and efforts to combat corruption and prolonged pre-trial detention.
Key Findings
- Victims of violence by criminal groups increased by 8% in Q4 2023, totaling over 8,400 for the year.
- Gang violence spread to Artibonite and southern Port-au-Prince communes, with continued use of sexual violence.
- Lynchings by 'Bwa Kalé' movements resulted in at least 76 deaths nationwide.
- Child recruitment by gangs remains a major concern.
- Efforts by the Ministry of Justice and CSPJ led to the processing of ~400 files and release of >258 people from prolonged pre-trial detention.
Full Description
The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) presents its quarterly report on the human rights situation in Haiti for the period of October to December 2023. The report reveals an 8% increase in victims of violence by criminal groups compared to the previous quarter, totaling over 8,400 victims for the year. Gang violence continued to spread, particularly in the Artibonite department and communes at the southern entrance to Port-au-Prince, with sexual violence remaining a tactic used against residents of 'rival' neighborhoods. Lynchings by 'Bwa Kalé' movements resulted in at least 76 deaths, and child recruitment by gangs remains a major concern.
The document also details efforts by the Ministry of Justice and Public Security and the Superior Council of the Judiciary to reduce prolonged pre-trial detention, leading to the release of over 258 people. It covers the dysfunction of the judicial system, initiatives to strengthen ethics and combat corruption, and the dire conditions in Haitian prisons, where 83% of inmates are in pre-trial detention and 34 deaths occurred in the last quarter. The report concludes with recommendations to the international community and the Haitian government to restore social services, support judicial reform, and accelerate the deployment of a multinational security support mission.