Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Journalists in Haiti are operating under extreme insecurity as gangs control more than 80 percent of the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, severely limiting their ability to move freely and gather information, according to Jean Daniel Sénat of Le Nouvelliste and Radio Magik 9.
Oberde H. Charles, editor for Le National and Télévision Pacifique, highlighted the difficulties posed by restricted access between city neighborhoods and limited communication with other regions, which constrain journalistic work.
The environment is marked by threats from criminal groups, as well as suspicion from police who sometimes suspect journalists of collaborating with gangs due to their access to gang-controlled neighborhoods. Conversely, gangs may suspect journalists of informing police, placing them under pressure from both sides.
Since 2021, 14 media workers have been killed in Haiti, as reported by UNESCO’s Observatory of Killed Journalists. Additionally, some journalists have been abducted, with a colleague reportedly killed during protests in 2022 when police gunfire caused injuries. Many journalists have been forced to flee their homes or live in exile due to ongoing threats.
Media outlets have also been directly impacted; Le Nouvelliste lost its historic headquarters in downtown Port-au-Prince in February 2024, and Radio Magik 9 had to vacate its premises due to advancing criminal groups. Some journalists have relocated multiple times for their safety.