Another two journalists fell victim to gangs and violence in Haiti. Bandits, taking advantage of the chaos that engulfed this island country after the great earthquake of August 2021, terrorize a large part of its territory and the capital Port-au-Prince.
Two local media journalists have been killed in the last two weeks.
Kersaint Dumesky, a 30-year-old radio and television reporter for the INUREP editorial office, was shot dead on the night of April 15/16 in the municipality of Carrefour. According to reports, he was supposed to be an accidental victim of the riots.
Jean Ricot, who worked for the editorial staff of Radio-Tele Evolution Inter, was also killed. The man’s body was found on Tuesday, a few days after he was kidnapped by assailants disguised as police officers. He was a well-known activist, he hosted his weekly radio show.
Two local media journalists have been killed in the last two weeksReuters
“A climate of tolerated violence”
As announced by the Haitian Committee to Protect Journalists, both were murdered while carrying out their journalistic duties. The Committee condemned the killings, stressing that they are taking place “in a climate of stoked and tolerated violence.”
According to UNESCO, at least nine journalists died last year for practicing their profession in a violent country, half of which is controlled by gangs and criminal organizations.
At least 21 journalists have been violently killed in Haiti since 2020, according to official figures.
Main photo source: Reuters