(2024-Q2) Quarterly Report on the Human Rights Situation in Haiti

1 QUARTERLY REPORT ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN HAITI April - June 2024 2 3 4 Highlights • Between 1 April and 30 June 2024, at least 1,379 people were killed or injured, and another 428 kidnapped; this represents a 45% drop in killings and gunshot wounds and a 2% drop in kidnappings compared with the last quarter. 88% of cases of people killed and injured were documented in the West department, while 73% of kidnappings were documented in the Artibonite department. • There was an increase in cases of rape and other gender- based violence in several gang-controlled neighborhoods and IDP sites. Service providers report receiving an average of 40 rape victims a day in some areas of the capital. • Children continue to be killed and injured in gang attacks and police operations, and to be recruited into gangs and “self-defense” groups. • Repeated strikes by magistrates and judicial staff continue to paralyze the justice system. Since the start of the judicial year, courts and tribunals have been operational for only ten days. • 78 inmates died in Haitian prisons in the second quarter (29 in the first), most of them from illnesses caused by malnutrition. • There was significant progress in several investigations by the Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC) against senior government officials. Recommendations • To the international community: keep Haiti on the international agenda and accelerate the full deployment of the Multinational Security Support mission in accordance with human rights norms and standards, as adopted by UN Security Council Resolution 2699 (2023). • To the international community: update the list of individuals and entities subject to sanctions for supporting, preparing, ordering or committing acts contrary to international human rights law, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2653 (2022). • To the States of the region: strengthen and increase inspections of shipments bound for Haiti on their territory, including seaports and airports, in line with UN Security Council resolution 2653 (2022), which imposes an arms embargo. • To the Haitian government: with the support of the international community, establish specialized judicial units to combat mass crimes, including sexual violence and crimes of corruption. • To the Haitian government: with the support of the international community, urgently resolve the humanitarian crisis in Haitian prisons. • To the Haitian government: with the support of the international community, set up a program to rehabilitate and reintegrate minors involved in gangs. • To the Haitian government: with the support of the international community, strengthen the availability, accessibility and quality of medical and psychosocial care systems for survivors of sexual violence, and build the capacity and awareness of the police and judicial system to combat impunity for sexual violence and the stigmatization of victims. 5 I. Violence and human rights abuses Between 1 April and 30 June 2024, the Human Rights Service (HRS) of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) documented 1,379 victims of killing and injury, and 428 victims of kidnapping, with men representing 77% of victims, women 20% and children 3%. This represents a decrease of almost 45% in killings and injuries, and a decrease of 2% in kidnappings compared to the last quarter (January - March 2024) 1 . Additionally, the HRS is concerned by reports of a significant increase in cases of sexual violence against women and girls in several neighborhoods and IDP sites in the capital. The highest number of killings and injuries continued to be recorded in the capital (88%), notably due to indiscriminate gang attacks on certain neighborhoods, but also to gang executions of individuals suspected of collaborating with the police or “self-defense” groups. Clashes between gangs and “self-defense” groups, crossfire and excessive use of force during police operations or patrols have also had a negative impact on the physical integrity of the population. After more than two years in power, Prime Minister Ariel Henry was unable to return to Haiti and resigned on 25 April 2 . On the same day, under the auspices of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), a Transitional Presidential Council (TPC) was set up, comprising nine members from different political parties, some of whom belonged to the opposition. On 28 May, Dr Garry Conille was appointed interim Prime Minister of Haiti by the CPT. He swiftly set up a transitional government of 14 ministers, including four women - a figure that meets the minimum 30% quota for women’s participation in public administration. 1 Between January and March 2024, at least 2,505 people were killed or injured as a result of gang-related violence, and 438 others were kidnapped. 2 Prime Minister Ariel Henry found himself unable to return to Haiti, having left in February 2024, first to attend the 46 th meeting of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which took place in Guyana, and then to travel to Kenya. The mission to Kenya led to the signing of a bilateral agreement on the deployment of After several months of preparation, the first 200 Kenyan police officers of the Multinational Security Support (MMS) mission arrived in Port-au- Prince on 25 June. Victims of killing and injury In line with the first quarter of 2024, clashes between the Delmas 6, Tokyo, Krache Dife, Les Argentins and Simon Pelé gangs (allied in the coalition known as Viv Ansanm) on the one hand, and a “self-defense” group, supported by specialized police units, on the other, continued with the aim of taking control of the Solino (Port-au-Prince) and Delmas 24 (Delmas) neighborhoods. Territorial control of these areas would facilitate the gangs’ access to the middle-class neighborhoods of Bourdon, Chris Roi, Haut Delmas and Nazon, where they could commit more kidnappings and racketeer small commercial areas. Since the beginning of March, at least 128 people, including 13 children, were killed or injured in Solino. While most of the victims were hit by stray bullets, others were targeted in the streets for their alleged support of the “self-defense” group. The violence also led to the destruction of homes and other public and private buildings and forced the displacement of at least 5,000 people 3 . Kenyan police officers as part of a multinational security support mission to support the Haitian police’s anti-gang efforts. On March 11, the Prime Minister announced his intention to resign immediately after the installation of a Transitional Presidential Council (CPT), as part of the political dialogue supported by CARICOM and other international partners. 3 IOM, Displacement Tracking Matrix, https://dtm.iom.int/fr/reports/haiti-suivi- des-urgences-412-mises-jours-des-deplacements-suite-aux-attaques-delmas-25 6 Gang attacks Location Number of people killed and injured 4 Duration of attacks Delmas 24 (Delmas) and Solino (Port-au-Prince) 128 11 days in April, May, and June Carrefour and Gressier 233 During the quarter Over the same period, in the communes of Carrefour and Gressier, gangs and “self-defense” groups continued to extend and consolidate their control over and around the main arteries linking the capital to the southern regions of the country. In these communes, members of the 103 Zombies gang (a criminal group closely linked to the Grand Ravine gang) committed killings, mutilations and rapes against the population, both on the streets and in their homes. According to information gathered by the HRS, the victims were targeted for having challenged the gang’s presence in the area or for their alleged collaboration with the police. Local government officials and police officers, as well as members of their families, were also targeted as part of a tactic designed to eliminate any State presence in the area. Between April and June, at least 11 of these individuals were killed by members of the Grand Ravine and Ti Bois gangs. The bodies of most of the deceased were burnt with gasoline or carried away by gang members. In the commune of Carrefour, the “self-defense” group known as Caravane also executed at least 16 people who, after being questioned at checkpoints set up by the group, were unable to produce identification or mentioned that they lived in a neighborhood with a strong gang presence. Most of these incidents were documented on National Road 2 and the Route des Rails. As a result of this violence, Carrefour and Gressier were 4 This figure includes both members of the population and gang members. among the communes with the largest number of displaced people, with at least 14,000 displaced 5 . In Cité Soleil, gangs belonging to the Viv Ansanm coalition became more virulent against the populations living under their control. Members of the Belekou, Boston, Brooklyn, Pierre VI, Simon Pelé, and Terre Noire gangs executed at least 28 people for challenging their “authority”. Some of these victims were killed for reasons such as taking photos of gang members, committing petty theft or attempting to leave the neighborhood. The weakening of the Kraze Baryè gang, following tensions within the group and several police operations, led to a significant reduction in its ability to operate in Tabarre and Pétion Ville. However, the gang killed and wounded at least ten people in indiscriminate shootings or in retaliation for challenging its “authority” in areas under its influence. The 400 Mawozo, Canaan and Chen Mechan gangs continued to attack the populations of Canaan, Duval, Lilavois and Santo (Croix-des- Bouquets). During these attacks, they killed individuals because of their alleged support for rival groups or the police. A particularly violent incident was documented on 23 May, in Lizon, when members of the Canaan gang killed three missionaries (one Haitian and two Americans) in charge of an orphanage and burned their bodies. A few hours before this attack, the orphanage had been invaded and vandalized by members of the Pierre VI gang, who had also taken several valuables with them. In the Artibonite department, the Gran Grif and Kokorat San Ras gangs continued their attacks on rural populations, including in communes in the northern parts of the department previously spared from violence. During the quarter, at least 76 people were killed or wounded in attacks on Gros Morne, L'Estère, Liancourt, Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite and Terre Neuve. Others were killed while travelling in public transport vehicles. One of the most violent attacks took place on 15 June, in the neighboring towns of Savane Plate and Savane Carré (Gros Morne) and Lagond (Terre Neuve). At least 11 people were killed or seriously injured, including an infant. Three others were abducted from their homes by some 30 members of the Kokorat San Ras gang. No incidents involving gangs had previously been documented in Terre Neuve. 5 IOM, Displacement Tracking Matrix, https://dtm.iom.int/es/node/38896 7 In this context, and continuing the trends documented throughout the first quarter of 2024, operations carried out between April and June by specialized police units to dislodge gangs, resulted in at least 236 casualties among the population 6 . While most of them were hit by stray bullets during clashes with gangs, at least 45 cases involved excessive use of force by police against individuals not involved in acts of violence at the time of the incidents. Some of these victims were on foot or selling their products in street stalls. On the other hand, the HRS also documented cases involving elements of specialized police units concerning alleged killings of unarmed individuals, notably in Cité Soleil, at the Drouillard and Vincent crossroads. According to a media source 7 , as well as local sources, individuals were transported in vehicles to several specific locations in the capital, such as the Maïs Gâté neighborhood (Tabarre), before being executed by “hooded and heavily armed men”. Their bodies were then burnt and dumped on garbage heaps. Allegations of criminal activity by Miragoâne Public Prosecutor Ernest Muscadin remain another cause for concern. Between April and June 2024, the HRS documented five cases of extrajudicial executions allegedly committed by Muscadin, against suspected gang members and individuals involved in common crimes. In total, Ernest Muscadin would have killed more than 26 people since the beginning of 2022. Although he has acknowledged his involvement in these executions in the media, and the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP) has publicly condemned his behavior 8 , no action had been taken by the authorities in this case at the time of publication of this report, possibly due to the popular support he enjoys. According to several accounts, the Public Prosecutor of the Aquin jurisdiction appears to have recently resorted to the same practice, executing two individuals in June 2024 on charges of theft. 6 122 killed and 114 injured. 7 Ayibopost (May 14, 2024). "Kafou lanmò multiply in Port-au-Prince", https://ayibopost.com/des-kafou-lanmo-se-multiplient-a-port-au-prince/ Kidnappings After a relative lull in February and March 2024 (129 cases), kidnappings increased in the second quarter, with 428 incidents documented. At least 73% of these incidents were reported in the Artibonite department, while the victims were traveling in public transport vehicles along the main roads or were inside their residences. In the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, most of the kidnappings took place in the communes of Carrefour and Gressier, during attacks on residences and vehicles travelling on main roads. The Grand Ravine gang also hijacked a boat carrying people and food products between Port-au- Prince and Cap Haïtien. During this incident, 42 passengers and crew members were kidnapped. Sexual violence The proliferation of armed men in the capital led to an increase in sexual and gender-based violence, committed mainly against women and girls. This increase was particularly marked in areas controlled by gangs and deprived of the presence of State services. Several local human rights organizations have established a correlation between the power exercised by gangs over the population and the increase in such violence in the areas they control. A very worrying increase in the number of rapes was reported by local sources in the communes of Carrefour, Cité Soleil, Croix-des-Bouquets, Delmas, Gressier, and Port-au-Prince. In some areas, service providers reported receiving 40 rape victims a day. In this context, several victims were attacked by groups of young armed men intercepting women and girls as they travelled, on foot or in public transport vehicles, to get to work or school. After being raped, some of them were shot dead. Other victims, including girls, the youngest of whom 8 Le Nouvelliste (December 18, 2023) « Les commissaires Jean Ernest Muscadin et Ronald Richemond blâmés et rappelés à l'ordre par le MJSP », https://lenouvelliste.com/article/245979/les-commissaires-jean-ernest-muscadin- et-ronald-richemond-blames-et-rappeles-a-lordre-par-le-mjsp 8 was three years old, were raped in their homes or in sites for displaced persons. In gang-controlled neighborhoods, women and girls are also forced to engage in forced sexual relationships with gang members. At the end of June, one of them, aged 13, was shot twice in the head by a member of the Simon Pelé gang, with whom she was having an abusive relationship. Her body was found a few days later in a pile of garbage in the Simon Pelé neighborhood of Cité Soleil. Despite the efforts of health services and civil society organizations, supported by UN entities and other international actors, medical care and psychological support for survivors and their families remain largely inadequate. Threats against human rights defenders, journalists and government officials Following the escape of gang leaders from the capital’s two main prisons in early March, threats and attacks against journalists, human rights defenders and people affiliated with the state continued to be documented during the second quarter of 2024. In particular, judiciary personnel have been the target of intimidation and attacks, preventing them from carrying out their duties and undermining the independence of rule-of-law institutions. Between April and June, at least five judges and lawyers were killed or injured in the Artibonite and North departments (for further details, see Section II - Judicial system). Impact of violence on children The impact of violence on children remains particularly worrying. Between April and June, at least 49 boys and girls were killed or injured 9 . Not only have children been killed in gang attacks or by stray bullets during police operations, but they are increasingly being used by gangs and “self-defense” groups to commit criminal activities. 9 27 children killed (21 boys and 6 girls) and 22 injured (16 boys and 6 girls) During gang attacks on neighborhoods, children, including babies, were killed or injured. For example, on 30 June, in Gressier, at least three boys, along with 17 adults, were executed inside their residences, where members of the Grand Ravine gang had broken in looking for individuals belonging to a local “self-defense” group. Some children were also targeted because of their alleged support for rival gangs or the police. Others, suspected of having committed minor offences, were lynched and killed by members of the local population. During the quarter, only one case of kidnapping involving a child was documented. The victim, a 16-year-old girl, was kidnapped, along with two other women, by members of the Grand Ravine gang while travelling in a public transport vehicle in the Mariani district (Gressier). The young girl and the other two women were held for several days. During their captivity, they were repeatedly raped. Although only one case was documented during the period under review, testimonies emphasize that kidnappings are often under-reported and kidnapped women rarely declare having been raped, for fear of being stigmatized within their families. In addition, driven mainly by a lack of socio-economic opportunities or threats, many young children and teenagers continued to be recruited by gangs. As well as committing minor offences, some were also involved in extremely violent acts, including killings, kidnappings, attacks and the looting of public institutions. Local sources in gang-controlled areas have expressed concern about an upsurge in child recruitment by gangs recorded ahead of the deployment of the Multinational Security Support mission. Impact of gang violence on economic, social and cultural rights Continuing their tactics in February and March 2024, gangs continued to vandalize, steal and set fire to public and private buildings in the Port-au- Prince metropolitan area, as well as in the Artibonite department. These buildings included at least nine police stations, a courthouse and 14 premises belonging to service providers (including health centers, schools 9 and humanitarian warehouses). The gangs also destroyed or set fire to over 450 homes and businesses, notably in the Solino neighborhood of Port-au- Prince and other areas in Delmas, Gressier and Tabarre. Freedom of movement, particularly in the capital and the Artibonite department, was hampered by the numerous “checkpoints” set up by heavily armed gang members along National Roads 1, 2 and 3. These checkpoints are extremely dangerous for residents, who are highly exposed to being killed, raped, kidnapped and extorted when trying to cross them. The “self-defense” group Caravanne, established in Carrefour, has begun to erect “checkpoints” where it carries out criminal acts similar to those committed by gangs. Businesses, particularly in the capital’s industrial zone, continued to be subjected to extortion by gangs in order to be able to continue their activities. II. Judicial system Functioning of the judiciary The paralysis of the judicial system continued due to the violence, but above all to the repeated strikes by magistrates and judicial staff. Since the start of the judicial year in October 2023, courts have been operational for barely ten days. On 10 June, the National Association of Haitian Court Clerks (ANAGH) announced the temporary suspension of its six-month strike. This suspension was motivated by the decision of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP) to satisfy some of its demands, notably those relating to salary increases. ANAGH informed that the suspension of the strike was, however, subject to the full implementation of the agreements reached with the Ministry in 2017. However, on 19 June, the Collective of Standing Magistrates of Haiti (COMADH) called another strike to protest against the unequal treatment 10 While CERMICOL is a center for minors, gang attacks on adult prisons in Cabaret, Port-au-Prince and Croix-des-Bouquets in 2023 and 2024, have made it of standing and sitting magistrates, contrary to equal treatment provided for by the 27 November 2007 law governing the status of magistrates. These strikes had a major impact on litigants, and particularly on those in detention across the country. Fighting corruption Despite the persistence of numerous challenges affecting the judicial system, including lack of resources, political interference and the impact of insecurity on judicial actors, progress was made in investigating high- ranking officials involved in corruption cases. Following an investigation carried out in March 2023 by the Anti- Corruption Unit (ULCC), an entity reporting to the Ministry of Economy and Finance, investigating magistrate Jean Wilner Morin issued an arrest warrant on 14 May 2024 against the former head of the Customs Office at the Port-au-Prince port and his wife, for corruption, money laundering, financing of terrorism and other crimes against the public interest. On the basis of an investigation carried out in 2023 by the ULCC, a former President of the Republic was heard by investigating judge Merlan Belabre in connection with a case of corruption within the National Equipment Center (CNE). The former President denied any involvement in the case, adding that he was under no obligation to answer the judge’s questions, since his indictment had been issued by his predecessor, Judge Al Duniel Dimanche, after his term of office expired in January 2024. In the same case, Judge Belabre also questioned a former senator. In another case, on 2 May, Judge Belabre issued a warrant for the arrest of the former Secretary General of the Senate, accused of mismanagement of parliamentary funds. The Secretary General was remanded in custody at the CERMICOL detention center 10 and released on “humanitarian grounds” on 9 May. Prior to the opening of legal proceedings, the case had been investigated by the ULCC in 2023. On 4 June, the ULCC opened another investigation into allegations of corruption within the National Education Fund, an organization operating the only center remaining operational in the capital, and new inmates, including adults, are transferred to it. 10 under the supervision of the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training. In early June, the new transitional government led by Prime Minister Garry Conille announced that its priority was, among other things, to put an end to corruption and establish control mechanisms within all ministries to ensure the proper use of public funds. Mass crimes and other serious human rights violations During the second quarter of 2024, no progress was made on the cases concerning the Grand Ravine (2017), La Saline (2018) and Bel Air (2019) massacres, nor on the case concerning the killing of Monferrier Dorval (2020). On 3 May, investigating judge Edwige Dorsainvil concluded the investigation into the killing of journalist Néhémie Joseph, which took place on 10 October 2019. In his closing order, the judge referred former senator Rony Célestin and seven other suspects to the criminal court to be tried for “murder and criminal association” in connection with the crime. On 28 May, the Port-au-Prince Bar Association organized a commemorative demonstration to denounce the lack of progress in the investigation into the assassination of its former president, Monferrier Dorval, on 28 August 2020. The impact of violence on the judiciary During the quarter, the judiciary continued to be the target of threats and attacks. At least five magistrates and lawyers were killed in the Artibonite and North departments. Among the victims, a judge and three lawyers were killed by the Kokorat San Ras gang on 4 April and 13 May in Artibonite, a region affected by numerous land disputes. Other magistrates, such as Les Cayes investigating judge Jean Michelet Séide, were threatened because of their investigations into sensitive cases. In this case, Judge Séide is investigating drug trafficking in the Les Cayes area, and the killing of journalist Gary Tesse in Les Cayes in October 2022. Thus, on 25 May, he requested enhanced protection from the Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSPJ) due to the threats he had recently received. Detention conditions in Haitian prisons On 30 June 2024, 7,523 people were being held in Haiti’s prisons (11,822 before the escape of prisoners from the National Penitentiary and the Croix-des-Bouquets prison in March 2024). Of these, 84% were in pre- trial detention (compared with 82% in the first quarter of 2024). The cell occupancy rate was 295% (287% in the previous quarter). Prison overcrowding and shortages of food, cleaning products and medicines in the country’s prisons continued to affect the inmates’ health. The prisons of Jérémie (Grand’Anse department) and Petit Goâve (West department) were particularly affected by these shortages. In the second quarter of 2024, 78 inmates died (29 in the first quarter), most of them due to lack of care, insalubrity, insufficient food and lack of access to drinking water. The CERMICOL juvenile detention center, located in the commune of Delmas, became the only functional detention center in the capital after gang attacks on the Port-au-Prince National Penitentiary and Croix-des- Bouquets prison in early March 2024. As a result, new inmates arrested in the capital were transferred to this center. By June 2024, it had reached four times its capacity, with 230 inmates in a space built to accommodate 60. Adults (men and women) and minors (boys and girls) are held in the same compound. As part of a government initiative, undertaken since late 2023 to reduce the high rate of preventive detention, on 27 May, 16 inmates of the Fort Liberté prison (North-East department) were released by the jurisdiction’s Public Prosecutor. This release was made possible following a special hearing and benefited people who had been convicted of minor offenses, such as stealing cattle or telephones, or who had spent between one and two years in prison without having been heard by a judge. International sanctions and investigations With regard to the US judicial investigation into the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, on 25 May 2024 American entrepreneur Frédérick Bergmann was sentenced by a Miami federal court to nine years in prison for shipping body armor to those involved in the assassination. On 6 June, the Miami federal court sentenced the six people already criminally convicted in the assassination to pay more than US$6 million 11 to his widow, Martine Moïse, for hospitalization, travel and security expenses. Five other defendants will stand trial in the United States in January 2025 11 . On 24 June, a US court sentenced Germine Joly, former leader of the 400 Mawozo gang, to 35 years in prison for money laundering in violation of US export laws and for laundering ransoms paid for American hostages held by his gang in Haiti in 2021. Two other individuals were also sentenced to prison terms for their involvement in this case. On 21 June, Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs sanctioned three gang leaders for their involvement in acts that “threaten peace and stability in Haiti”. The individuals concerned are Gabriel Jean-Pierre, of the Boston gang, Luckson Elan, of the Gran Grif gang, and Ferdens Tilus, of the Kokorat San Ras gang. As of 30 June 2024, Canada had sanctioned 29 individuals 12 , and the United States 13 entities and individuals 13 . For its part, the United Nations Security Council has still not updated the list of sanctioned individuals under resolutions 2653 (2022) and 2700 (2023). As of 30 June, only five gang leaders were on the list 14 . Investigations into human rights violations committed by police officers During the quarter, gang violence and attacks on police premises and personnel paralyzed the activities of the General Inspectorate of the Haitian National Police (IGPNH). As a result, during this period, no investigations into human rights violations involving elements of the police force were carried out by this institution. 11 It should be noted that no progress has been made in the investigation conducted by the Haitian judicial authorities since, on 30 January 2024, the Port-au-Prince Public Prosecutor’s Office made public its indictment, calling for 75 defendants to be tried on various charges. 12 Government of Canada, Special Economic Measures (Haiti) Regulations, https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2022-226/FullText.html III. Support for national institutions and civil society Despite the challenges posed by insecurity and the reduction in its field staff, the HRS continued to provide technical assistance to the authorities and helped build the capacity of civil society organizations. Support for public institutions As part of its efforts to support the Haitian judicial system in the fight against impunity for sexual crimes, in June 2024 the HRS provided technical assistance to the Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSPJ) and the School of Magistrates (EMA) for the organization of the final session of a training course on investigation techniques for sexual violence, including those perpetrated by gangs. The course was attended by 61 magistrates from the Port-au-Prince and Croix-des-Bouquets courts of first instance. Three further sessions were organized in 2023 and 2024 in Cap Haïtien, Les Cayes and Hinche. In all, 170 magistrates were trained in all the country’s jurisdictions. The annual Salon du Droit was held in Port-au-Prince on 21 June, with technical and financial support from the HRS. The event, attended by key actors within the justice system, highlighted the ULCC’s efforts to prevent and combat corruption. Support for civil society organizations In April, the HRS, through the Protection Cluster, organized a joint training session on humanitarian negotiation and mediation techniques in contexts affected by gang violence. The training benefited 17 representatives of community-based organizations, international non- governmental organizations (NGOs) and UN agencies. 13 Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), Sanctions List Search, https://sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov/ 14 The five gang leaders are Jimmy Chérizier (leader of the Delmas 6 gang and the G-9 coalition), Johnson André (leader of the Village de Dieu gang), Renel Destina (leader of the Grand Ravine gang), Vitel’homme Innocent (leader of the Kraze Baryè gang) and Wilson Joseph (leader of the 400 Mawozo gang). 12 In partnership with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), the HRS organized its third and final online training session in April on the functioning of the IACHR, including its petition system, precautionary measures and hearings. The session benefited 24 representatives of state institutions and civil society organizations. Protection During the quarter, the HRS continued to provide protection services to people affected by violence, paying particular attention to women, children and people living in disadvantaged situations, including displaced persons. Several activities and services were implemented by local and international organizations in marginalized and gang-controlled areas, including psychological counseling for survivors of violence, including sexual and gender-based violence, support for access to reproductive and sexual health care provided by mobile clinics, and awareness-raising sessions on sexual and gender-based violence and referral mechanisms. Supported by the HRS, the Organisation des Citoyens pour une Nouvelle Haïti (OCNH), through the production of a spot widely circulated on social media, raised awareness among Port-au-Prince residents of the issues of gang-related sexual violence. On 16 May, local NGOs Combité Pour la Paix et le Développement (CPD) and Komite Pwoteksyon Timoun Site Letènèl (KPTSL) set up a two-week awareness-raising initiative on civic-mindedness, resilience in times of crisis and the prevention of sexual violence. The initiative reached 600 people, including 286 children, living in sites for displaced persons in the capital. In early June, CPD also carried out activities focusing on psychosocial support for survivors of sexual violence in the Cité Soleil, Croix-des- Bouquets, Delmas and Port-au-Prince neighborhoods. In the preceding days, the NGO had also carried out a field assessment to identify the needs of displaced people and provided financial support to 84 individuals in need of assistance to return to their hometowns. For its part, KPTSL organized a series of activities during the period aimed at strengthening the protection of children’s rights. One of these activities, which welcomed over 2,800 children and young people from gang- controlled areas, raised awareness of children’s rights on the theme “Byen nouri lespri timoun yo pou n konstwi yon sosyete soude san vyolans” (“Nourishing children’s minds to build a violence-free society”). In addition, a community dialogue on child protection took place in the neighborhood of Village de Dieu, with the participation of children, priests, community leaders and gang members operating in the area. 13 Evolution of the impact of gang-related violence: victims of killings, injuries and kidnappings