(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is an 18 September 2003 CPJ letter to Haitian Prime Minister Yvon Néptune: September 18, 2003 Mr. Yvon Néptune Prime Minister, Republic of Haiti Office of the Prime Minister Port-au-Prince, Haiti Via facsimile: 011-509-298-3900 Mr. Prime Minister: On behalf of the delegation from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), which included […]
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is an 18 September 2003 CPJ letter to Haitian Prime Minister Yvon Néptune:
September 18, 2003
Mr. Yvon Néptune
Prime Minister, Republic of Haiti
Office of the Prime Minister
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Via facsimile: 011-509-298-3900
Mr. Prime Minister:
On behalf of the delegation from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), which included board members Clarence Page, Franz Allina, and Paul Tash; CPJ Americas program coordinator Carlos Lauría; and me, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to meet with you on August 13 to discuss press freedom conditions in your country during our five-day visit last month.
According to journalists who spoke with us in Haiti, violence and threats against members of the media have created a hostile and unstable working environment for the press there. The lack of progress in the investigations into high-profile murders, as well as ongoing attacks and threats, has fostered a climate of impunity, leading many journalists to flee the country.
Based on CPJ research, Haiti ranks as one of the most violent places to practice journalism in the Western Hemisphere, second only to Colombia. The Haitian government must act promptly to prevent violence, intimidation, and impunity by thoroughly investigating those attacks and bringing the perpetrators to justice.
We welcome your commitment to review a list of press freedom abuses documented by CPJ and to inform us about the status of judicial investigations into those cases within a month of receiving this letter. Please find attached a list of 11 press freedom violations documented by CPJ since 2000 [ed. note: the list is available here: http://www.cpj.org/protests/03ltrs/Haiti18sept03pl.html]. We would appreciate receiving additional information about these cases, including when were they last actively investigated. In the future, CPJ will ask for periodic updates to determine the progress in each case of murder, attack, or threat against journalists who have been targeted for their journalism.
We would also like to receive detailed information about the status of the investigations into the murders of journalists Jean Dominique, killed in 2000, and Brignol Lindor, murdered in 2001, as well as details about the inquiry into the 2002 murder of Michèle Montas’ bodyguard.
We remind you that during our meeting with Minister of Justice and Public Security Calixte Delatour on August 13, the minister stated that he would report to CPJ on the status of that case within two weeks of the meeting. CPJ has not received any information from Minister Delatour, and we ask you to urge him to reply as soon as possible.
CPJ values the opportunity to engage the Haitian government in a productive dialogue about press freedom and encourages authorities to make clear that acts of violence and intimidation against journalists will not be tolerated.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. We look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Ann K. Cooper
Executive Director
