The violence of gangs fighting over territory in Haiti is often linked to state actors in alleged collusion with these armed groups, underlines the 32nd annual report 2022 of Human Rights Watch (HRW), published last week which base on the most relevant events in the country during the year 2021 based on information from civil society groups.

Haiti was already plagued by political instability and gang violence, but the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting economic crisis, the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse on July 7, 2021 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34162-haiti-flash-president-jovenel-moise-assassinated-by-mercenaries-official-updated-7am-+-video.html , then the magnitude 7 earthquake, 2 which occurred on August 14, 2021 on the southern peninsula of the country https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34479-haiti-flash-magnitude-72-earthquake-in-the-nippes.html further aggravated the situation. The country continues to struggle to meet the basic needs of its population and to address long-standing human rights issues.

In 2021, the country experienced a resurgence of demonstrations directed against the Government of Jovenel Moïse and his proposal for a constitutional referendum. The police reacted with a disproportionate use of force. Violence by gangs and police has gone unpunished.

The earthquake, followed by Tropical Storm Grace, affected 2 million people in Haiti's southern peninsula, 77% of whom lived below the poverty line. The toll stands at 2,248 dead, 12,763 people injured, up to 26,000 displaced, and at least 329 people missing https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34681-haiti-earthquake-latest-assessment-of-civil-protection.html For the section on Haiti, the report reviews:

• The Haitian political crisis

• The Investigation of President Moïse’s Assassination

• Violence and Displacement

• The situation of human rights defenders

• The criminal justice system

• Abuses by security forces

• Accountability for past abuses

• The rights to health, water and adequate food

• Inequalities and Barriers to Education

• The rights of women and girls

• The rights of persons with disabilities

• Sexual orientation and gender identity

• Migrations

• Mining and access to information

• The key international players

Download the Haiti section of Human Rights Watch 32nd Annual Report 2022 (English PDF): https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/32-hrw-en.pdf

HL/ HaitiLibre